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' \ / i! : ■ I „ :,:i^:M-'' ': ■ i -i r r/, .' . >( .-■/*i->,,.. / i" '• i< / n /.It): ■', V.'^ir. \ •• ^' ^., INDUS THE PHY GEI MINES, FORES' NAVIGATION, C INO NATU] Br PELLO\^ (corresponding Mc Member of th( Correspondini ofPhiladelp Mineralo ..- -r" THE INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES OF NOVA SCOTIA. / r. COMPREHENDING THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY, 6E0L06Y, AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, MINES, FORESTS, WILD LANDS, LUMBERING, MANUFACTORIES, NAVIGATION, COMMERCE, EMIGRATION, IMPROVEMENTS, INDUSTRY, CONTEMPLATED RAILWAYS, NATURAL HISTORY AND RESOURCES, OF THE PROVINCE. By ABRAHAM GESNER, Esq. SURGEON, FELLOW OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, (corresponding Member of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall, Member of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, author of " Remarks on the Geology and Mineralogy of Nova Scotia" — " New Brunswick, with n* \ Halifax, Nova-Scotia : PUBIISHBD BY A. & W. MacKiNLAY, Printed by English & Blackadab. laeutenant-Gc Majea TO HIS EXCELLENCY LIEUTENANT-GENERAL Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Province of Nova-Scotia, &c. &c. fcc.. This volume Is respectfully dedicated, By THE AUTHOR. $lA ■.si '. _-:/■, i. ,: ■-)• :y.' -r- .i,>. PREFACE. 4 ! The nature of this work is proclaimed on its title page. At a period, when the Old World is convulsed by- fearful Revolutions, many of her inhabitants will look for relief to the wide-spread regions of British America, and to countries within the scope, protection, and free- dom, so long enjoyed and maintained by the noble constitution of our Parent State. Great Britain herself is burdened by an overgrown population, among whom, the want of full en ':;y- ment excites disaffection, and gives rise to pauperism, crime, and starvation. To her unemployed capital and labor, the British Colonies offer the best and most effectual reward and relief ; and while the remedy would lighten the bur- dens of millions of our fellow subjects, it would also augment the value and importance of an extensive portion of the Empire. To open new channels of industry — to apply labor to the relief of distress — to arouse dormant enterprize — ^to occupy, improve, and cultivate her colonies — ex- tending the blessings of civilization, and increasing . human happiness, are objects worthy of the Nation's regard, and the strenuous efforts of every British sub- ject. Every aim towards this mark deserves encou- J. iti ii. PREFACE. ragement,— -every advancing step towards this point should be cheered, until the primitive forests of this country shall ring with the sound of the axe— the ocean shall yield up abundant supplies of food — the earth its minerals, and the soil the varied productions of agriculture. ' *« t »t The first exports of every new country are simple objects in their natural state. Time is required to unfold hidden wealth, and to adopt the appliances of manufacture. >5.i. /. • k ,3. ; ^.. .; ■ ^ ^■ Up to the present day, the resources, and conse- quently the value of British America, are but imper- fectly known, either at home or abroad. From an imperfect knowledge of these Provinces, treaties have been made with foreign States injurious to their inter- ests, and there is a prevailing ignorance of their capa- bilities. Even their own inhabitants are unacquainted with the physical resources around them, and the means required to bring them into successful operation. Nor is it presumed that the following treatise compre- hends all the elements to which industry may be suc- cessfully applied in Nova Scotia. In a new, exten- sive, and almost unexplored country, patient and con- tinued research are necessary to reveal all its natural wealth. ' • --'.-». . The colossean public improvements contemplated by the Home and Colonial Governmeiits, and by per- sons of all ranks, for these Provinces, in the construc- tion of Railways and Electric Telegraphs, impart to them new features. In future, their social condition, safety, and welfare, will depend upon the success of such enterprizes, and the adaptation of the means placed at their disposal to the purposes of industry and commerce. - - PREFACE. 111. Nova Scotia contains abundantly the elements that invite labor and promise wealth. To their description the author has devoted his best ability. He is a native of the Province, and having applied himself upwards of twenty years to the examination of its natural pro- ductions, he has no hesitation in communicating the result of his labor, to which himself, or others, msty hereafter add each succeeding discovery. . , A climate in which the grape, the peach, the quince, and other exotics come to perfection, has been unspar- ingly condemned. The country has been represented as having neither spring nor autumn, but ever doomed to endure the extremes of heat and cold. These, and similar errors, deserve the correction experience has afforded. ^ ,, - ■< . .; ; Besides a good agricultural surface, the Province contains inexhaustable supplies of coal, iron, and other minerals, and her bays and estuaries are the most pro- ductive fisheries in the world. As no general description of these and many other resources has ever before appeared, the present work is offered as a pioneer to more elaborate discoveries. I avail myself of this medium to express a deep sense of obligation to the gallant Earl of Dundonald, to whom I am indebted for an actual inspection of the principal parts of Cape Breton, and its valuable min- eral deposits. Some of the commercial tables could not be obtained until the publication of the work was much advanced. These tables, with a notice of the claims of the Baro- nets of Nova Scotia, and extracts from the reports on the Halifax and duebec Railway, are inserted in the Appendix. My acknowledgments are due to the Sur- veyor General, and Mr. Henry of the Crown Lands i 1 it. PRBFACK. Department, for aid in compiling the map ; also to the officers of Her Majesty's Customs at Halifax, for tables of exports ; and to a number of gentlemen throughout the Province, who have volunteered their services as agents in the sale of this volume. The drawing at the close of tho chapter on the Geo- logy of the Province, is from the pencil of Mrs. Elliot, and was presented to me by the late the Honorable T. N. Jeffery. A few unimportant typographical errors that may be discovered, with any other imperfections, are left to Ihe consideration of he candid and indulgent reader. -f> lay-'i -:-,--..: (. .r 1 A. GESNER. .,. ,„,' 1 Halifax, 1849. * » 'Kivf v- (I ;; ■• .' '..\ ■ ~ , '•»■;;■ , ■/\IV> '>ii>-: . 'V.;-,. .i': . -'. -.'. * - '' .t^':'.u I' ■'^'.:.'t -.l^, : -.: "t^ rJ;-t-;i.' i :.'t.i<.i ■ i-'V. •--.: •■;.!■ *' ■ 'hJ.;:; ;■. ..•'■) *»; ';' v/;r ,.. .■ •■'; ■ ' ' > :'i ;.'n- ■\^:\.rr ^-Aii, ,'V. !•!:>;!'.- q. •v/'ii; r- " ■i\^ y. :.>.:..! i. ■..„'...;./■. '■•: ;v'i rJ.'!^'. <',i:;M^, ; rK,-'.'; ».;;,, \ 1 'o-;^» -_^_^ : •,- '- ' . ,:.; > - ■■ :;.'.n;i- inii i^.- .;■' i'i'^-,^'!'- :•"'!,,, ■;,, ,,,-i, ; nu I ;-;M,y.''r "(^Mh\ ■ ,■•;"; i ''-H ■>^,:- •' : i ...,.:. ;ii C-, V 4''^^;«. j"^ ■ irisj- f. , ■-,' - -lA^ ■■,.■' U'-^v ■?*< 1 ; :.:'■ ,r> CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Introduction. — Historical and General Notice — Former and present state of Industry — Projected Improve- ments, &LC. of Nova Scotia — Early Inhabitants — French, New Englanders, and Loyalists, Page 1 CHAPTER II. British America — Nova Scotia, her geographical posi- .\* tion, Harbours, Bays, Rivers, Lakes — Bay of Fundy — ".: • Minas Basin — Cumberland Bay and Basin — Soutliern ' '.r Harbours — Northern Harbours — Waterford,Wallace, Tatamagouche, Pictou, Merigomi8he,Canseau,White- haven, Torbay, Country Harbour, St Mary's, Halifax, Sambro, Margaret's Bay, Lunenburg, LaHave, Liver- pool, Port Medway, Shelburne, Barrington, Pubnico, Tuskets, Jebogue, Yarmouth, Jegogin, Annapolis Basin — Rivers, Annapolis, the Avon, Shubenacadie, &c., !22 CHAPTER HI. Marshes — Alluviums — Wild Lands — Forests — Surveys — Quality of Lands — Timber — Forest Scenery — Ex- ports, Sic, 58 CHAPTER IV. Native Trees, and such as grow without cultivation in Nova Scotia — Forest Fires — Second and succeeding growtli of Plants— Dissemination of Seeds, &,c., . . CHAPTER V. The Fisheries of Nova Scotia, value of, and negotia- tions, aggressions of tlie French and Americans- Violation of Treaties, anecdotes of— Shippmg em- ployed by France and the United States— Quantity of Fish taken — Advantages enjoyed by the Ameri- 77 lit CONTENTS. cons — HounticB — Protection of thn Fisheries — Sugr- jfostions for improving — Marino and fresh water fisiien of Nova Scotia and Now Brunswick — Fisheries in- , • jured — Modes of fishing — Fishing oeasons — Habits of fishermen — F'ish taken — Domestic consumption-^ Exports — Shore Fishery — Deep Ser. Fishery — Num- ber of vessels and boats employed — Tables and Returns, Paqk 103 CHAPTER VI. Agriculture of Nova Scollu, climate — Comparative time of the flowering of Plants — Origin of the Soils — Kinds and (pialities of the Soils — Manures, animal, vc;Xetable, and mineral — Lime — Gypsum — Wild Lands — Table of gnmted and ungranted Lands — Clearing — Crops — (ir.iin — Vegetables — The Potato — Leguminous Plants — Horticulture — Agriculture — Expenses and Profits of Crops — Labor — Markets — Farm Stock — Dairy Husbandry — General Remarks, CHAPTER VH. Manufactories, Commerce and Industry— Timber Trade — Lumbering— Shipbuilding — Population and Com- merce of British America — General Remarks— Table of Exports from Nova Scotia for the year ending 5th January, 1849 — Trapping, Hunting, &.c., 152 210 CHAPTER VIII. Geology of Nova Scotia — Classification of Rocks —Stra- tified non-fossiliferous, or Cambrian Group - Silurian Group — Old Red Sandstone — Carboniferous Rocks, or Coal Formation— Extent and division of the Group — Gypsiferous Strata and Limestones— Fossils of the Coal Group— New Red Sandstone — Intrusive, or Ig- neous Rocks — Drift— Rocking Stones — Mammalia, Birds, Sporting, &c., CHAPTER IX. ?Jines and Minerals— Granite, Slate — Minerals of the Silurian Rocks— Iron Ore— Iron Ore of Annapolis- Iron Ore of Pictou— Minerals of the Coal Formation — Gypsum — Limestone —Ores of Iron — Ores of Iron and Manqranese— Salt Springs — Freestones— Grind- stones— Flagstones —Coal — Coal Field— Coal Mea- sures—Albion Mines— Exports of Coal— Cumberland Coal Measures — Cape Breton Coal Field — Coal Mines, Sydney, Lmgan, Cow Bay, Bras d'Or, Cara- bou— Inhabitants' River— Exports— Royal Grant- Mining Association, Expenditures of in Nova Scotia, 22!) CON TB NTS. U^ oporationH of— Ores of tlie Coal Fields— Iron— Top- per — Iron of the Cobequid Mountttins— Minerals of the Trap Rocks of the Bay of Fuiuly, Ate. &.c. — Build- ing Stones, list of— Claya — Alum Cluys and Slates— Ochrea, &.C., Faoe 253 i CHAPTER X. CAPK»nRETON. General description of— Climate — Early exports— Lon- isburg, history of — Fortifications— Ruins — The Bras d'Or, situation— Settlements — Resoufres — Boulardrie — Sydnoyllnrbour — Coal — Coalmines — Town — Soil Agriculture — Lingan — Mini iky and River — Gaba- rus — Lsle Madame — Arichat — Carabou — (Jut of Can- seau — Fort Hood, (- heticump — Inganishc — Ca pe North — Mountains of — Unexplored Lands — Fisheries — Exports of Shipping, &c., , 300 CHAPTER XI. RAILWAYS AND EMIGRATION. Proposed Halifax and Quebec Railway, origin of, nar- rative of proceedings, proposed terminus at White- haven, Survey, direction of, resources along the line, branches, effects upon industry, cost, advantages, &c. — Halifax and Windsor Railway — Proposed Rail- ways in New Brunswick — Electric Telegraph- Emi- gration, present st ite of, promoted by Railways, classes of Emigrants — Vacant Lands — General and concluding Remarks, , 313 t' I jn * » •'/ TIIK INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES N0VA-8C0TIA. >^i-t"'-;i'' CHAPTER I. : i ) Introduction — Historical and general notice— Former and present state of industry — Projected improvements, &c. of Nova-Scotia — Early inhabitants — P'rench, New Englandcrs, and Loyalints. The early history of Acadia, or Nova-Scotia, details a series of conflicts between Great Britain and France, who each claimed the colony by right of discovery and occupation. The aborigines of the country were converted to Christianity by the exertions of the Jesuit priests, and thereby they were, and still continue to be, attached to the Roman Catholic religion. They were also the allies of France until they were con- quered, and brought into submission by the overthrow of French power in North America. At an early period the number of Indian warriors was not less than 3,000. This warlike people, and the first French settlers, formed a powerful barrier to the introduction of British colonists. And even after the Acadians had taken the oath of allegiance to Great Britain, and were therefore called French neutrals, U f 9 NOVA-SCOTIA. ihey had always believed that ultimately their coun- trymen would be the conquerors of the wide-spread regions of the continent : and with that mistaken view they were led into errors that proved fatal to their interests. DeMonts, LaTour, Denys, and others of the French nobility, had obtained extensive grants of territory in Acadia*; but, from feuds and jealousies among them- selves, they were unable to maintain a safe foothold upon the soil. On the part of Great Britain there were also individuals who were fond of transatlantic enterprise ; and in 1625 Charles I gave a novodamuSj or renewal of a former patent to the Earl of Stirling, of a vast territory extending from the St. Croix to the St. Lawrence. — It is upon this patent the baronets of Nova-Scotia still claim title to lands in Nova-Scotia and New Brunswick.f The latter, in 1784, was con- stituted a separate province. Although ancient Acadia had been several times transferred by treaty from one power to another, and had been the theatre of desperate struggles for terri- tory, it had not been conquered ; for the native Mic- mac Indians had never submitted to any foreign au- * In the commission of DeMonts, Nova- Scotia is called Cadie. JVous estans des long temps informer de la situation et condition des pais et territoires de la Cadie, S^c. It was afterwardu called by the French voyageurs L'Acadie. In the Micmac Indian dialect ukude signifies a place. Thus Anglishouilkiide means a place where Englishmen reside, Wenjouakade a place where French people live, or a French settle- ment. The Shubenacadie is called by the natives Saagaabenacade, a place where their favourite root, the Sagaaban, grows : thus tne origin of the term Shubenacadie now applied to the river, where these roots were formerly very abundant. The terms Cadie and L'Acadie have evidently been derived from the Micmac akadc— a place. > See Appendix A. ...,,.,,. tis^ i^Os I vmx NOVA-SCOTIA. thority. It was not until after the destruction of Louisburg — the conquest of Cluebec, under the brave Wolfe — and the expulsion of the chief part of the French Acadians, that the Indians surrendered. In 1761 they signed a treaty of peace at Halifax. The terms of that treaty they have respected ever since ; but it will be seen hereafter that the promises made to their chiefs have not been fulfilled by the descend- ants of their conquerors. i ^'^■- ■■ In 1763 France resigned all her claims in North America to Britain, who now holds undisturbed pos- session of the northern part of the great continent. , The early voyageurs to America soon became ac- quainted with the value of Nova-Scotia. Its geogra- phical position, soil, fisheries, minerals, furs, and other resources, aroused their enterprize ; and the climate and scenery called forth their warmest admiration. — Along the whole Atlantic coast there was not found a country, in their estimation, so valuable in the boun- ties of nature, nor so rich in the elements of industry, as their favorite Acadia. • ; I In 1598 the number of fishing vessels upon the coast was no less than 330. The French and English also carried on a valuable trade in furs, and in the teeth of the walrus, or sea cow. At this period the existence of mineral wealth, the value of the timber, and nature of the soil and climate, were almost un- known. In 1604 DeMonts visited the Bay of Fundy, and discovered the native copper of Cape D'Or, and the ores and gems of Parrsboro' and Cape Blowmedon. The French immigrants also begun to cultivate the soil near Port Royal, since called Annapolis in honor of Queen Anne. And the great abundance of fish in the waters, game in the forests, and wild fowl upon i 1 ! it i [ IBv 1 '■: 1 i V « f I I* I 4 NOVA-SCOTIA. the lakes and rivers, afforded them a comfortable sub- ' sistence, with little labor. ' •;• ' • -i' Notwithstanding the changes in their political re- lations to the crowns of England and France, the French had established large settlements upon the borders of the principal streams, and especially at the sites of the great marshes. Besides their settlement at Annapolis, they had flourishing villages at (Minas) Cornwallis and Horton, (Pemaquid) Windsor, (Chig- necto) Cumberland, and on the banks of the Shuben- acadie. They had diked tracts of the fertile marsh alluviums, planted orchards of fruit trees — remnants of which still survive, and erected chapels. Their houses were clustered together in small villages, and each was the abode of frugality and contentment. — Their communications with the native Indians had lowered the standard of civilization among them, and the labors of their priests had raised the savage natives in some degree above the extremes of barbarity. The number of Acadians in 1755 was 18,000 : they owned upwards of 60,000 head of horned cattle, and had large tracts under cultivation. But, while they were in the enjoyment of perfect freedom under the British flag, they unfortunately aided and succoured the unconquered Indians in their attacks upon the English settlements. For this offence the chief part of their number was expelled from the country — their dikes cut away, lands confiscated, their villages burnt, and overwhelming misery and distress poured into every family. After a final peace had been concluded with France, the British Government made laudable efforts to restore these people to their former happy condition : but many of them had perished, — only a part of the exiles ever returned ; and, therefore, the NOVA-SCOTIA. regained their former early French colonists never flourishing position. • v • f. During these unhappy periods no advancement was made in the general improvement of the country, — indeed, to the contrary : its infont villages had been destroyed, and their inhabitants dispersed. The In- dians were still the terror of the British settler, who, in removing the forests, was compelled to carry an axe in one hand and a musket in the other. The state of the New England provinces, and the western colonies, was much more favorable ; for, after they had sub- dued the natives, they enjoyed peace, and the first immigrant settlements were not broken up and de- stroyed. It is proper for those who constantly refer to the greater success of the British colonists in the United States, to recollect that none of those had to contend with the peculiar obstacles that retarded the early prosperity of Nova-Scotia. It is true they had to withstand the savage warfare of the aborigines ; but, in general, they were free from that disaffection among themselves that proved so fatal to the success of Acadia. " "'"- .':-,- -.r v- ,, ; ;r., - , u.-n.-. ,;,=-i- The first settlers in Nova-Scotia were not a people of enterprize : their pursuits were at the commence- ment altogether rural ; and many of them adopted the habits of the Indians, and followed hunting and trap- ping. The slow progress the Acadian French have made in the art of agriculture, at once shows their in- feriority to the English, who hcive lined the western Atlantic shores with towns and villages, and spread cultivation over the surface far into the interior of the country. ^» Previous to the war that secured Nova-Scotia to the English, nearly 1,500 Germans emigrated to the coun- K (I ': J\ 6 NOVA-SCOTIA. I ty of Lunenburg, under the encouragement offered them by George II. The cultivated fields and diked marshes of the expelled Acadians, were offered by the government to any who would occupy them, and pay an annual quit-rent of one shilling per acre. Boston, Rhode Island, Plymouth, and New London, supplied 680 emigrants, to whom 200 were added from Ire- land. In 1772 the total number of inhabitants of Nova-Scotia, as reported to the Board of Trade, was 18,300. The immigrants from the above places were a pecu- liar people, by no means remarkable for their industry or enterprize. They had been allured by the liberal offers of the Government, upon whose bounty they de- pended, rather than upon their own exertions. Al- though, as a body, they were moral, they soon acquired habits unfavourable to the rapid and general improve- ment of the country. From the abundance of fish and game of all kinds, many of them gave themselves to hunting ; and the achievements of the " old proprie- tors,'' and especially their long spun bear stories, have been carefully handed down to their descendants. All their guns were named ; and in some part ". of the coun- try you still find old French muskets called " Long Sal, Spitfire, Betsy, Indian Pill Box, Martin Luther, Cromwell, &c." Tracts of land were sometimes given in barter for a gnn. In King's County eight acres of diked marsh, now worth JE25 per acre, were exchanged ■ for a dog. Mocassins, guns, hatchets, snowshoes, and powder horns, were the most desirable objects of these people — wliole families of whom became hun- ters and trappers ; and to many of their descendants the sight of a fox or a bear's track is still a sufficient i8 . m NOVA-SCOTIA. inducement for tliem to quit the plough and follow the chace.* * Somn of the poculiaritips of these people are displayed in the fol- lowing true story, as related by J. M , a dcHcendant of the old New England Stock. He says : One day, 1 suppose the snow was about three foot deep, in March, Tommy and I went out to cut broom- Bticks. Nothing would do but old Strcakit (a hound) knawed off his tether and come along too. Well, while I was cuttin^ a little ash — you know the kind of ash — 1 heerd a noise. Says I, Tommy, that's the old dog. There is something in the wind, I'll bet you a big apple. Pooh, says Tommy. Well, by and by we heerd the old sarpent rip out like a lion. What say now Tommy, says I. Says he, the old rao is barking at a squirrel, or one of them dumb bristley porcupines. I know the music better than that, says I. Well, by and by we thought wee'd just go where the old rap was, and there ho was pawing and howling, and snorting, like a whirlwind. Well, we looked a bit, and what should I see but a Jittle hole under the root of an old yaller birch. Says Tommy, do you smell the bear steam .' I guess 1 do, says I, and I guess wee'l have a small kickamaroo. Run home Tommy, and bring old brin.stonc (a very long gun). Away went Tommy, and as soon as he sjoi home he had to send away for old Aunt Peggy. And then 1 waited at the bear's hole till my legs were as stiff as bean poles : how- somever he come back at last. Well, we cut away a hole big enough to peep in. The;e lay Bruin shewing his ivory, you may depend. — Well, I jist sent a ball and ten buckshot through his mazzard, and with a hooked limb we soon forked my joker out of the hole. Well, while 1 was hauling him out 1 dropped my jacknife into the place — I stooped down to pick it up, but wiiew, what does I see but two balls of fire. — You may depend I jumped. Says I, Tommy, there is auother. Haw, haw, says Tommy, that's the nest egg. Well we so'm made a dead prisoner of the other chap, and pulled him out. V.'ell it beat every- thing. The old dog got into the hole then, but was soon turned out doors by another real old whopper. Well, we could not shoot this jo- ker, he was so far back in the den ; so we cleared away the opening, and I crawled softly into the place, and if you had only seen how the feller flaired up, when I paid my respects to him with Tommy's old butcher knife ; but before I fixed him, the tormented crittur tore off both the tails of a bran new coat made by a tailor. Well, we got a sled and carried them home, and when we got there Tommy's wife had two twins, and we had three bears atween us. Why, they talk about agricultur in this country ! Why, Tommy and I raised more out of that little hole in the airth in an hour, than Uncle Silas can raise from an acre in a whole summer. \i: ''} 8 NOVA-SCOT! A. • Without any reference to tho moral and orderly ha- bits of these people, it is certain they were far from possessing that energy and industry that characterized the early inhabitants of the New England States. — During a considerable period after 1772, the colony de- clined ; and as late as 1781, the population was estima- ted not to exceed 12,000. At the close of the Ameri- can Revolution, in 1783, a great number of refugees settled in Nova-Scotia : to these were added many offi- cers and soldiers of disbanded regiments. In 1784 the population of Nova-Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward's Island, was only 32,000. In this new pop- ulation there were persons of property, learning, and high respectability, by whom the foundations of edu- cation and industry were laid. By this body the Co- lonial Government was established ; and, by its loy- alty, it still continues to bind the province to the mo- ther country. Notwithstanding all the virtues of the first colonists of Nova-Scotia, they were a people whose previous modes of life had disqualified them for the settlement of a new country. The pursuits and habits of officers and soldiers of the British Army had unfitted them for the labor required by agriculture ; and citizens from the west were unprepared for the hardships incident to a life in the forest. It was not until the descendants of these people sprang up that the country began to put on a cheering aspect. This hardy race of men are now beginning to display the agricultural capabilities of the lands adopted by their forefathers. Many of the early settlers had bled in die service of the Crown — many had sustained the loss of their pro- perty, from their attachment to the parent country ; and others, from the promises held out to them by the Go- «■ NOVA-SCOTIA. vernment, placed their chief dependance upon her boun- ties. These circumstances tended to relax the eftorts of the inhabitants in the improvement of the resources of the coiinlry. It was equally unfortunate that the generous system then acted upon by the Sovereign laid the foundation of numerous claims. There was a time when almost every family in Nova-Scotia sought some reward or bounty from the government. Almost every man thought himself entitled to some gratuity, or of- fice. A general desire for public situations has con- tinued, and since given rise to much discord and party spirit. Not so with the inhabitants of the revolted co- lonies of the United States : they were weaned and cut off from all the bounties and patronage of the mother country, and compelled, by necessity, to apply to their own labour and enterprize — by which they have ex- ceeded the people of the provinces in wealth and ge- neral improvement. It has been frequently imputed to the inhabitants of Nova-Scotia that they have less perseverance, enter- prize, and industry, than the Americans of the repub- lic. Admitting the correctness of this opinion, it should be remembered that very many of her early settlers were several years engaged in the defence of their country : and many of them, on acf ount of their loyalty, abandonded the cultivated fields of their fore- fathers in the now United States, to cut down the fo- rest a second time in order to win a living. They were an exiled people, who had to encounter all the diiaiculties of colonization in a climate unmodified by the spreading out of cleared fields and the redemption of extensive marshes. The soldier had to lay down his musket and seize the axe. The citizen was dri- ven from his town luxuries to the hard fare of the B 10 NOVA-SCOTIA. backwoodsman ; and the brave officer who had fouglit his score of battles, hung his sword against the wall and laid his hand to the plough. That the services of such men have not been duly respected by the Bri- tish government, is a painful and humiliating fact. — The bounties of the Crown of late have been given to appease the disaffected, rather than to reward the faithful ; and if ever the British colonies are cut off from the parent kingdom, in this heart-burning evil will be found the cause of the separation. - •■ '* At the close of the American Revolution the inha- bitants of the revolted colonies had an almost bound- less field for the expansion of their energies ; and eve- ry soldier and sufferer in their cause was amply re- warded. Far different was the situation of the Bri- tish loyalist—he had to begin the world anew ; if, therefore, the people of the provinces have iK)t kept way with tTiose of the United States, an ample excuse is afforded them. v . •. ..>..,... There is yet another and most obvious reason why Nova-Scotia has not advanced in a degree proportion- ate to her resources. Up to the present time, the ex- tent and value of the natural productions of the pro- vince are almost unknown in every part of Europe. — The current of emigration has been directed to Cana- da and the United States : and volume after volume has been published in praise of those countries. Ex- cepting the History of Nova-Scotia, written many years ago, and a work by the author on the Geology and Mineralogy of the province, little has been said of this fine colony. If we look to Canada, we find that, besides a large revenue, a vast amount of British capital has there been applied to canals, railways, and other public works. Not only have these sums of ^ i NOVA-SCOTIA. II money produced the ordinary advantages arising from such improvements, but they have suppHed the best stimulus to industry to almost every inhabitant, and general advantage has been the result. These re- marks are still more applicable to the United States, where millions of British capital have been devoted to the benefit of the commonwealth. To such countries the tide of emigration has been directed, and still continues to flow, while from Nova-Scotia, where there is a lack of labor, many of the young native- born farmers and mechanics annually depart, to seek a living farther west. It is, indeed, to be regretted, that large sums taken from British funds should have been expended in a foreign country, where, in some ir- stances, their repayment has been repudiated : while the same capital might have been profitably disposed of in the British Provinces, where it would have in- creased the strength of a valuable part of the empire. But it is in vain to hope for an influx of money into the country, until her resources are fairly disclosed. The objects to which money can be profitably applied, must first be made known, before any hope can be en- tertained of their being rendered useful in themselves, and doubly useful by the capital they draw in from abroad. With such views the Americans have made examinations and surveys of every part of the Union from the St. Croix to Oregon. Armuai inquiries are made in every department of industry. Every State has its geologists, botanists, chemists, agriculturists, and civil engineers, who are paid from the public trear sury. Almost every natural production of their coun- try has been collected ; and a spirit of energy has been infused into every branch of labor. Here, then, is another reason why the republic is in 1ft NOVA-SCOTIA. il I' M advance of the biitish provinces. In Nova-Scotia no public inquiry has ever been made in reference to the natural productions and resources of the country. — Their discovery and application have been left to ac- cident, and the unrequited efforts of a few private in- dividuals. The examples of the mother country and the United States have been disregarded, and the true objects of provincial wealth and happiness still re- main unfolded. It is universally admitted that the best interests of the country have been neglected ; its industry languishes, and its vast resources remain un- improved. '» ; •Ji«n«il The prodigious undertakings of the Americans in canals, railways, electric telegraphs, and other public works ; and also the rapid increase of manufactures in the western States, have created an extraordinary de- mand for labor. The cleverness and skill of the pro- vincial are equal to the wants of his neighbours over the boundary, with whom he finds ready employment, high wages, and prompt payment ; the result is that the yoimg men of the province emigrate to the United States as soon as they are of age, and much of the bone and sinew of the country is transferred over to a foreign power. Many whole families also remove an- nually from Nova-Scotia to the American far west.* * The number of young men who emigrated from Nova-Scolia for the United States, in 1847, 1 have stated, upon very good authority, to be — From King's County, 100 " Cumberland, 60 ;^t!^. " Annapolis, Digby, and "Varmoulh, - - - 160 ** Shelburne, Liverpool, and Lunenburg, - - 130 " Hants and Colchester, 90 .j'trs " Other Counties, 200 Of fishermen from the shores of the province, - - 300 iv.sf> Total, 1040 Tiie number of young men and young women who will have emi- grated from the province in 1848, will exceed 8,000. NOVA-SCOTIA. 13 In return for the annual loss of a valuable part of the population, we receive a few " speculators," who sel- dom remain stationary. Now it is of much import- ance to the province that she should check this kind of emigration by opening such employment as will induce her sons to remain at homo ; for the pauper emigrants from Ireland can never supply the loss of the native bom Nova-Scotians ; and the longer this misfortune is allowed to operate the more difficult will it be to remedy. Nova-Scotia oflfers as many, if not more of the elements of industry and enterprise as any portion of the United States ; and it is only necessary that those elements should be submitted to the opera- tions of British capital, science, and skill, to raise the province to its proper position, and to afford her own, and even a far greater population, substantial indepen- dence. The price of labor will always be high when land is cheap. No sooner does the " hired man" or the mechanic secure to himself the price of a hundred acres, than he becomes a master instead of remaining a servant. The vast western territory of the United States and Canada, offers abundant space for the ever moving population, whose places, as they roll on to- wards the setting sun, are filled up by the untrained masses of the mother country — who, after they have discovered the peculiarities of their new home, in their turn make room for new supplies of " hewers of wood and drawers of water." The high price of labor pro- duced by the above cause, and the construction of ex- tensive public works in the United States, draws from us our best labouring men, the agriculture of the pro- vince suffers accordingly ; and while the farmer of the eastern States finds ample markets for his produce, 14 NOVA-SCOTIA. the lack of demand for such produce, and diflicuhy of transportation, discourages the provincial agriculturist, who leaves the boundary between the field and the forest unmoved. The encroachments made upon the fisheries by the French and Americans, have been a check to our commerce. The little islands of St. Pierre's and Mi- quelon, still held by the former on the border of New- foundland, give them a foothold in the very centre of our best fishing ground, and every facility for infring- ing upon the stipulation's of an unpolitic treaty. The aggressions committed yearly have enriched two fo- reign powers, whose subjects unite in driving from the banks and shoals the provincial adventurer. In this fine province there is neither a canal, nor a railway, excepting six miles of the latter at Pictou, laid down foi mining purposes. Nova-Scotia is rival- led in steam navigation by the sister province New Brunswick, where the coal employed is imported from Great Britain. She is also far behind that province in manufactures, mills, and sawing machinery. It is universally admitted that her fisheries are neglected ; and her most valuable mines, with one exception only, remain unopened. From the cost and scarcity of la- bor, the want of markets, lack of proper means of transportation, £uid other causes, the agriculture of the province is retarded, manufactures improve but slowly, and the clearing of the wilderness advances at: a tardy rate ; notwithstanding the legislature readily opens roads to new settlements, and wild lands may be ob- tained at three shillings and three pence per acre. Nor is the state of education what it should be in a province that abounds in colleges and public seminaries. There is little enterprize in any pursuit. A spirit of extreme M NOVA-SCOTIA. 15 caution influences the ricti ; men of medium wealth are discouraged ; and to this may bo added a lack of general and [)ersevering industry, with a desire for ease and extravagance. Whoever has travelled through Nova-Scotitt and the westorn States, could not have failed in observing the favourable change noticed by the late Lord Durham, after crossing boundary. — The trade of the Americans is more . : they have better markets, and a business eneii.;y pervades the whole mass of the population. Tho implements of husbandry are of the most approved kinds, and there is no lack of labor-saving machinery. The rural dis- tricts display a neatness and comfort that exceed the bert provincial villages, and their inhabitants enjoy a higher degree of comfort and independance than those of Nova-Scotia. These circumstances have arisen, not from the pecularity of their government, which is essentially British, but from causes already noticed, and the stimulus afforded to every kind of labour by the hope and certainty of success. Now the resources of Nova-Scotia are richer, more varied and inexhaust- able, than those of any of the western republican dis- tricts ; and they contain within themselves materials, that by being improved, would soon elevate the pro- vince to her proper position, and even above the neigh- bouring colonies. In their maratime department also, the Americans display a decided superiority : their fishing and coasting vessels are better built, found, and supplied ; their crews are more temperate, better clad, and have a more lively interest in the success of their voyages, than the more careless sailors of the east. In fishing they are remarkably expert ; and nothing that ingenuity and economy can devise is lacking to render their trip to the deep sea successful. 16 NOVA-SCOTIA. A most vigorous spirit of enterprize and speculation lias extended itself to every quarter of the globe. In Europe, America, and the West India Islands, railways and electric telegraphs are being laid in all directions, abbreviating space, and saving time. 2,000 miles of £he telegraph are already in operation in North Ame- rica ; and nearly 6,000 miles are in process of con- struction. The great oceans of the globe are freely navigated by steam ; and a new era has dawned upon the whole world. It has been proposed to run a line of railway from Halifax to Quebec ; and the survey of the route has been completed by the home govern- ment. This is an object worthy the best support of the British nation, and all the North American colonies. A line to intersect the isthmus between Halifax and Windsor, is also under consideration; and, if com- pleted, could not fail to be profitable to its sharehold- ers, and of incalculable advantage to the northern and western eounties, as well as the metropolis. The time has amved when it has become neces- sary to direct the public attention to the industrial re- sources of Nova-Scotia ; for it is to such objects the inhabitants must apply their labor, to meet the great outlay reo" Ted for those costly undertakings. Great Britain is desirous to cherish the spirit of improve- ment in her colonial territory, whose natural produc- tions are not inferior in value to those of the parent country. The resources of British America, when once acted upon by an anglo-saxon population, will produce a New Britain on this side of the Atlantic. — In these colonies millions of British subjects must hereafter tiiid a home — where the greatness of the race is destined to expand itself, and add new lustre to the Crown and glory to the nction. The estab- NOVA-SCOTIA. 17 Ushment of railways is indispensable to the improve- ment of the physical resources and industry of the country. They are the mainsprings of colonization ; but unless the government enter deeply into such im- provements, justly viewing them as safeguards to these colonies, the struggles of the inhabitants themselves will be unavailing, and Nova-Scotia will languish through centuries to come. In the noble work of li- berating the West India slaves, the government paid twenty millions sterling. To liberate from misery, and to supply the means of obtaining food for the famish- ing redundant population of Britain, is surely no less ■^'orthy of her exalted benevolence. The application of five millions, devoted to public works in these pro- vinces, would spread a table in the wilderness, and feed with bread and meat the emaciated thousands and tens of thousands that now burden their home country. A line of electric telegraph between Hali- fax and Quebec has been commenced, and when the work is completed, it will greatly facilitate the com- munication between the upper provinces and the ca- pital of Nova-Scotia, the first discharging port of the British steamers. The post roads, and other principal lines to and through the towns and villages of the province, are in a good state, and the inhabitants pass to the most re- mote settlsments with facility. The Halifax and Quebec railway, when completed, would also open some new, but at present, almost inaccessable tracts of good land ; but, to open the interior country, and many of its physical objects to the operations of the immigrant and n^w settler, several extensive turn- pikes are required. One of these should extend from Halifax, as direct as possible, to Annapolis, through c t9 NOVA-SCOTIA. ii« I '' V 111 If the central part of the isthmus between the Bay oi Fundy and the Atlantic coast. This road would cross numerous streams that might at first be applied to saw- ing the forest trees, and finally to other manufactures. Much of the land in this quarter is of a good quality ; and almost all the slopes and valies may be success- fully cultivated. At present the whole of the district may be said to be uninhabited ; and very extensive tracts still remain ungranted. This, the great moose yard of the province, would aflford employment, and a comfortable maintainance, to 60,000 souls. There would then be three great roads — one on each side, and one in the centre of the western part of the penin- sula — ^which has an average breadth of 60 miles, and a length of 120 miles. The middle part of this great area is still covered by the native wilderness, in which there is much pine, spruce, maple, oak, and other kinds of valuable timber. A road extending from Halifax, through a similar tract of country, to Guysboro' and Antigonish, through Musqodoboit, is in the course of construction ; and others through the wilderness portions of the eastern counties, would promote the internal settlement of the country. If, however, the young and labouring part of the population have no mducements offered them to establish themselves in their native province, and there is never to be a sound and healthy immi- gration into Ncva-Scotia, a century may elapse before such improvements are required. But the commence- ment of a wise system of internal improvement would soon change every unfavourable feature of the coun- try : and a railway between Halifax and Q,uebec would be the certain means of bringing about these coUaceral advantages. NOVA-SCOTU, 19 tUoeval with such wor i, there would be a speedy advancement of agriculture. The facilities for ob- taining remunerating prices, and the demand that would be created for food, now transported on carts and waggons a hundred miles to a single and fre- quently glutted market, would immediately stimulate the farmer to clear away the rubbish from the now worthless field, and cultivate the mellow alluviums overgrown with ferns and alders. The fisheries would also feel the general impulse ; but, the first great step to their improvement, is the prevention of French and American aggression — a subject that has already required legislative interfer- ence, and still calls loudly for strenuous advocacy. The Americans have long given bounties to their fish- ermen ; nor can there be any doubt that similar en- couragement off'ered by the government of the pro- vince to her own people would return more than ade- quate benefit. Besides the resources that Nova-Scotia possesses in common with the sister colonies, the province abounds in the most valuable minerals. The iron and other mines that have been accidentally discovered, will be treated of in another chapter. None of these mines are worked, for the British capitalist is chary in the erection of smelting furnaces, in the present state of the colony. What would Nova-Scotia be under the full improvem-^nt of such resources ? Why, her now unproductive and vacant wilderness lands would pour down to the sea-board immense supplies of grain, and other agricultural produce ; our small towns would rise into places of note, with whole streets of shops ; our rivers would be the seats of manufactures ; our oays and harbours weuld swarm with ships, transport- 20 NOVA-SCOTIA. ill 1 i: ing our coal and other minerals abroad. Upon our OTTii soil iron could be smelted and manufactured for home consumption and exportation. The fisheries would be rendered profitable, and the whole country assume the cheering aspect of prosperity. Our inter- course by railway with the neighbouring provinces, would unite us all in one common interest. Our co- lonial and foreign trade would expand, and every branch of industry would feel its effects : then, indeed, our public works would pay. We would cease to hear of the rivalry of our neighbours, and the re- proaches that ar now cast upon the country 'for its lack of enterprizw. The declaration may again be made, that the ob- jects to which capital may be successfully applied are as numerous in the British provinces as they are in any of the United States, which have heretofore drawn largely from the inactive ^mds of the mother country. The very essence of national strength and greatness has been handed over to a foreign power, and in many instances lost to its rightful owners, and lost to the country under whose salutary laws, and enduring energies it was accumulated. To direct a rational and proper course for the surplus funds of the United Kingdom ; to open in British America an asy- lum for her starving labourers ; to promote by judicious publio works the strength and security of her colonies, are deserving of the first consideration of the govern- ment, and the most powerful redeeming efforts of the nation. Millions of acres of British soil, on this side of the Atlantic, remain shaded by the native wilder- ness ; and, excepting the timber, which may be felled and shipped as well by the native Indians as the ex- perienced mechanic, the best sources of wealth and NOVA-SCOTIA. M comfort are almost disregarded ; and, a country teem- ing with the bounties of Providence, scarcely feels upon its bosom the eflforts of r. scattered and unaided population. Where is our national pride ? Docs the glory of Britain consist only in her naval and military achievements ? Has she conquered to save, and not to destroy ? Has she no sympathy for her swollen and starving yeomanry ? When will she learn and know the value of these American possessions, and endow her children with the imperishable riches of the west ? To bring down the productions of the interior country, and to carry back the required arti- cles of manufacture ; to open the solitary wilderness and usher in human labor, is a work offered by Provi- dence to a christian nation — to Britain, who requires no increase of territory on this side of the ocean, but rather the improvement of what is now her own and rightful heritage. To her it belongs " To traverse realms unknown, and blooming wilds, And fruitful deserts — worlds of solitude, Where the sun smiles, and seasons teem in vain, Unseen and unenjoyed." ' 't\ ■■■ \l |.'.1 " ;.;» ■1 H 22 NOTA-HCOrU. iiil \'V CHAPTER n. Britiih America — Nova Scotin— Her Geographical position, Harbouri, Bayg, Rivers, Lakes — Bay of Fundy, Basin of Minas, Cumberland Bay and Basin — Southern Harbours — Northern Harbours — Water- ford, Wallace, Tatmagouche, Pictou, Merigomish, Canaeau, White- haren, Torbay, Country Harbour, St. Mary's, Halifax, Samlro, Margaret's Bay, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, LaHave, Liverpool, Port Medway, Shelbume, Barrington, Pubnico, Tuskets, Jebogue, Yarmouth, Jeggogin, Annapolis Basin — Rivers, Annapolis, the Avon, Shubenacadie, &c. The British possessions in North America have been estimated to contain 3,600,000 square miles, or 1,940,000,000 acres. The population in 1844 was upwards of 1,600,000. It is now about 2,208,000; and there are upwards of 870 acres of land for every soul. The whole capital, or property, has been com- puted to be £76,000,000. The public revenue £1,600,000 per annum. Ine shipping tonnage ex- ceeds 2,000,000 of tons ; and the number of seamen and fishermen is 150,000. The amount of consumption of British manufactured goods, yearly, is equal to £7,000,000 sterling. The most northern parts of this vast territory sup- ply fish, oils, furs, and timber. The climate, soil, and natural productions of its whole southern portion, are equal to those of Great Britain. The fisheries of the coasts, bays, and rivers, are the richest in the world. The physical capabilities of this region cannot be es- timated in the present day, for they are still unknown. NOVA-SCOTIA. n In the possession of a British race, an almost bound- less field is here spread out for the extension of civili- zation and happiness ; and almost every year discloses some new and valuable object of enterprize. The ports of the southern, or Atlantic shore, are open at all seasons of the year, which may be ascribed to the warmth of the v/ater flowing in from the Gulph Stream; rather than the temperature of the climate. From having the northern ports sealed up by ice dur- ing the winter months, the necessity for railways is rendered more urgent: for by their aid, the trade with the north may be carried on at all seasons of the year. The coasts are studded with islands of various dimensions; yet the rocks and shoals are not s^ nu- merous, that they put any check upon navigation. These shores are peculiarly favourable both for deep sea and shore fishery. They produce abundantly the crustaceous, moluscous, and other marine animals, ani- malculae, exuvia, with submarine plants, upon which the large fish feed ; and the numerous bays, rivers, and lakes, afford security to the ova of the visiting tribes. Of the vast area embraced by these Provinces, not more than one-fiftieth part has been cleared of its tim- ber ; not one-hundredth part is under cultivation ; and the imagination can scarcely extend to the number of the population it is capable of sustaining — including the inhabitants of cities and towns that would spring up in the progress of time. As these provinces ad- vance in improvement, the staple articles of Canada, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward's Island, must be agricultural produce, which will be exchanged for manufactured goods, and foreign productions ; but, be- sides a good agricultural surface, Nova-Scotia abounds ' '' ( • I.- flfltaHKI u NOVA-SCOTIA. in inexhaustablc mines, that arc capable of atfordirig immense exports, and the elements of manufacture. The timber is indeed of much importance : but every year will increase the cost of procuring it ; and the lumbermen of Nova-Scotia are already compelled to resort to the remotest forests. So long as the crude materials will suffice for export, land will be cheap and plenty, and labor consequently high, there will be no manufacture of the finer articles of luxury. Including the taking of seals, the fisheries excel the timber trade. It is, indeed, true, that Nova-Scotia does not supply her own briead : but this fact, of which many speak with despondency, does not arise from the nature of the soil or climate. Not more than one half of the popu- lation are engaged in agriculture : the other half are employed in fishing, lumbering, and other pursuits. The price of labor, lack of railways, remunerating markets, and an imperfect system of tillage, impede the progress of husbandry ; and the farmer is stimu- lated to raise little more than will supply his own wants. The demands for the gypsum, freestone, and grindstones of the province, are well supplied ; but the market for coal frequently presents a vacuum, the result of limited mining. Nova-Scotia forms part of Her Majesty's possessions in British America, and is situated between the 61° and 66° 30' west longitude, and 43° 25' and 46° north latitude. It is the southernmost part of the British American territory on the north Atlantic coast : it has therefore a milder climate than either New Brunswick or Lower Canada. It is almost surrounded by the sea, being separated from Prince Edward's Island, on the north-east, by a narrow straight ; and at the north-west, from New Brunswick, by the Bay NOVA-SCOTIA. 2n of Fundy : on the north it is joined to the latter pro- vince by an isthmus about twelve miles wide. It has long been proposed to open a canal from the head of Cumberland Basin to Bay Yerte, or Shediac, and thereby to unite the Bay of Fundy and the Gulph of St. Lawrence. Several routes have been surveyed. The last exploration by Captain Crawley, R. E., was unsatisfactory ;; and the contemplated introduction of railways has diverted the minds of the inhabitants from the undertaking. If the canal were opened, Novd-Scotia would be an island. The province is an oblong square, or rather it resembles in shape a mit- ten — the thumb of which is gently feeling New Bruns- wick. Its greatest length is 380 miles, and the breadth varies from 40 to 60 miles. From the north- ern angle to the Atlantic the distance exceeds 100 miles; and the land area is estimated at 9,534,196 of acres, or 15,700 square miles. Besides the Bay of Fundy, which washes its north- western side, the province is indented by numerous bays, harbours, rivers, and creeks, which admit ves- sels of all tonnage. During the coldest season of winter the northern ports are closed by ice. The harbours of the southern, or Atlantic coast, are ex- tremely convenient for British and American com- merce ; and the splendid haven of Halifax has al- ways been the chief resort of ships of war upon the North American station. There is considerable diversity in the aspect of the province : although there are but few hills that will exceed 600 feet in height, the features of some dis- tricts are alpine. The southern, or Atlantic side of Nova-Scotia, is comparatively low. Aspotagoen, neai* Margaret's Bay, is bold, but not lofty. The Ardoise D n NOVA-SCOTIA. I i Hill, that commands one of the finest views in Ame- rica, will scarcely exceed 700 feet in altitude. Blow- medon, the abrupt termination of the north mountains, as they J^re called, is 680 feet high, and forms a beau- tiful anc striking feature of King's County. Thfe north &i .outh mountains, situated on both sides of the valley of King's and Annapolis, are merely hills ; and the Cobequid range running through Cunr*»erland, and Mount Thorn, are not more elevated. The coun- try is furrowed by long parallel ridges, that extend from the south-west to north-east, which is also the direction of the rocky strata. From the stony cha- racter of the shore, the whole southern coast has been called iron-bound ; but it is indented by beautiful bays, and innumerable coves and inlets, that afford shelter to all kinds of vessels. The unceasing operations of the sea have notched the shores ; the rocks have been scooped out, and rugged caves and grottoes have been formed even in masses of the hardest granite. The trap rocks on the border of the Bay of Fundy present a series of mural cliffs and overhanging precipices. The north-eastern shores are low, being bordered chiefly by sandstones : the scenery is tame, and the harbours are comparatively shallow. The coast is smoother, and the lands are far better adopted to agri- culture than those of the south. Almost the entire surface is channelled by the deep ravines and narrow gorges, which diversify the scenery, and give an idea to the traveller that the land is higher than it really is. Between the north and south mountains there;eAa- aniptying in the op- posite direction into Mines Basin. The main trunk of the river, and its lakes, were the route of the In- dians in former times, when they transported thc«r light bark canoes up the rapids, and acrops the port- ages, to the Gaspereau lakes at Horton, and tbenca to the Bay of Fundy. The river ?n now occupied by numerous saw milis, and therefore its salmon fiahery has been nearly destroyed. The whole scenery is of the most fascinating character. The uncultivated in- tervales are covered with scrubbery ; and, on the hills, the tall trunk of the pine, peering far above all ita competitore, waves gracefully in the air. The lakes also have their little islets, shaded by the maple, the beach, or the oak. Nature, in all its wild luxuriance, still holds uncontrolled donrannon ; and the bear and moose wander through the forests fearless of the hun- ter's skill. The Indians have 8 curious legend, that when the whites first landed upon their grounds, the bears and ijaoose held a general parliaroent Bt the (Ponhook), or outlet of the upper lake, about fifty miles from the geab f ;? and entered into a treaty. They both de- clared war against tno " i>ale faces." The moose were to destroy all the corn fields, aad the bears the cattle and sheep of the "new comers;" but no j)er- son was to be eaten by them, unless he carried a gun, of which they entertained the greatest fears. The place where the conference was held is still guarded by two bears and two moose, which are invulnerable ; and since the treaty, no bear has beca known to kill NOVA-bCOTIA. 49 ) a moose, however young and defenceless One of the Indians declared to the writer, that it would have been better for his peo',>!<5 if they ha<^ utte» :i.c ' »hc convention, and entered into tho alliance ; llr ilii^ white men had rnatlu laws to protect the moose, duck'i. and partridges, but had done notliing for the preaeryfc lion of his tribe. Petite Riviere is a small stream, still further west* ward. Its mouth is somewhat sheltered by Cape lieEIave and Indian Island. Port Med way, another excellent harbour, opens directly into the sea. Ships of the largest class enter this port, and are laden with timber, or the produce of the fisheries. Its river, vrhich communicates with Lake Rosignol, has been ra zch employed to raft the timber of the back country downwards to the eaw-mlUs, which are in constant employment near its mouth. Liverpool was called by the Indians Rosignol, after a c»iptain of that name, whose property was very un- ceremoniously seized at this ^^lace by De Monts in 1P04. It is about 80 miles west of Halifax, and 14 t and a niambcr of small basins send in their surplub watorb through a channel near its entrance. About 8 miles further noith the stream enters into * Outlet in the Indian dialect .* NOVA-aCOTIA. 51 Fairy lake, called by the Indians, who have a settle- ment upon its eastern border, Kedgumcoogic. This is also a beautiful sheet of water, studded with islands, and there arc some excellent lands upon its borders. The whole interior country in this quarter is dotted with the lakes emptying into Rosignol, or Port Med- way rivers. Combined with the undulating surface, tlieso clear and gravelly bordered reservoirs render the icenery very attractive ; but as cultivation has not yet l)enetrated these inland recesses, a deep gloom and si- lence prevails over immense tracts. The Liverpool river continues its northerly course until it reaches the head of Allen's river in the county of Annapolis, which it touches at its extreme sources about 70 miles from its mouth, and 12 miles from Annai)olis Basin. Those rivers and lakes have always afforded the Aborigines an easy communication across the province. The In- dians traverse the whole distance in their canoes, ex- cepting a few i)ortages made to avoid rapids, some of which arc not free from danger. There arc several beautiful falls upon the Liverpool and Medway rivers, which offer immense pc^wer for carrying machinery. These streams and the LeHave, with the numerous lakes associated with them, have already opened the fo- rests of the central portion of this part of the province. They are natural canals, and the keys that unlock the physical wealth of the country. By having their ob- structions removed, they will become hereafter, by the labour of a greater jwpulation, important auxiliaries to the resources of the western district. To these re- sources we will advert hereafter. Port Mouton is a fine bay, with islands. Its lands were settled in 1783, by soldiers of the Bhi.sh Legion ; but from the rocky character of the soil, and a de- 52 NOVA-SCOTIA. t 1 i i 3 I' 'i stnictive fire that consumed their village, they aban- doned their enterprize. The lands have since been taken up by other persart of the province. Northward of Yarmouth there are Jegoggin harbour, and a few small coves : but these are chiefly advan- tageous as fishing stations. The whole southern shore of St. Mary's Day, a wide and deep inlet is without a harbour, excepting the fine inlet and basin of Sissiboo. The trappean rocks of the North Moun- tains of King's and Annapolis, are extended beyond the narrow inlet of Digby to Brier Island, where they terminate, having formed the north side of St. Mary's. This long and narrow peninsula is cut through at the Grand and Petit passages, two convenient harbours for vessels bound up the Bay of Fundy. In this brief account, the value and importance of the hat : ours and their rivers in reference to the com- merce and fisheries of the country are most obvious. HtUiburton, vol. 3, p. 179. •V.' 4' T ' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) i^ 1.0 I.I ■ 50 "^* s h& 1110 2.5 1.8 1.25 1.4 ||.6 « 6" ► V] <^ /2 ^ >> ,o c'i o A -f^ '^y / Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 # \ :\ ;v \ k is <^^\ »'"^ W <^^ 4^ ^ V^Q 1^ ^ 56 NOVA-SCOTIA. m f:;l:|. II' ; ^ 1 1 *ii 'I' u i .:h. ]\m" !iii" 1 1 Many of the lakes and their connecting rivulets ex- tend water facilities far inland, and by having their natural obstacles removed, or by the application of the art of the engineer, they may be im^^roved much be- yond those points where they now cease to be useful. The power they offer to carry machinery is almost unlimited, and besides the benefits of irrigation, they impart unsurpassable beauty to the country scenery, especially to inland tracts, where the gloomy wilder- ness is cheered by the lake, the rivulet, and the dash- ing waterfall. :3 The advantages offered to the clearing out of these water channels have scarcely yet struck the minds of the scanty population. Many of them are now chok- ed by fallen timber, and where the windfalls have been swept away by freshets, " timber jams" (dams) have been formed that cause the overflow of valuable intervales. Some fine tracts in the wilderness have been inundated by the dams of the industrious beaver, long since exterminated. To compensate this gain- ing of the water upon the land, the operations of na- ture have burst the barriers of lakes, whose borders are now seen en dry terraced alluviums, covered by alders and tall indigenous grasses. The inhabitants of the province in general have little knowledge of the remote and uninhabited in- land tracts. The information brought in by the lumbermen and Indian hunters, who have no desire that the backlands shall be settled, is very imperfect, and no general survey has ever been authorised by the legislature. The result has been that fine tracts have been condemned, and opinions have gone abroad unfavourable to the agricultural character of the whole country. Millions of acres of land that have never ''iiii!: NOVA-SCOTIA. 57 been explored nor surveyed, have been gravely pro- nounced to be unworthy of the immigrant's notice, and by a kind of Provincial cupidity the industrious stranger has been intimidated against landing upon shores that abound in the common bounties of Pro- vidence. At the same time lands exactly similar in their geological and agricultural characters, in the New England States, have been redeemed to the plough and the sickle. Similar " water privileges" have been applied to extensive manufactures, and a dense and thriving population has sprung up along the whole American sea-board, where the fisheries are as nothing compared with those of Nova-Scotia. nil*iOs'Tf/B r^jnlii 'i'Ttr-'^fi- mil y"^ Sum I'^hf n'%^m iwofh^:'^- iyifi V) tmi^M^ntmrn-ftiih f*?mij f\nw hM\^ nyfHf'rwsd :t'iifd lirt«^'!>t bdthnj^. -mnm^ wm-HUT' -m!? vtn. ?> 58 NOVA-SCOtlA. t life- |i*i!: '-!■ W m '»t*l i" ■. ■ 'i' :U ?^^ j;ii- V v'! .';t. '< -i Mij' >'>''.' :>»«; L. ;- i .. » CHAPTER HI. iv 'V'te Oil ffliioi'l i;'{ '.' .!«ili.. »l >^ .l.iHl • '.i.;l »•; i.r ' <'.;i. i Marihea— Alluviums — Wild Lands— Forests— Surveyi — Quality of Lands, Timber, &c. . 1 •' t >;.! titU.Vl • .,;■';••, r ^l •(.f£!fri«T I HAVE already adverted to marshes of the province. These valuable lands differ in their character and fer- tility, according to their situations. They have been produced by the operations of the sea and tides. The fine sedimentary matter abraded from the rocks by the waves and meteoric agents, is carried into the estua- ries and up the rivers, where, at high water, or slack tide, a part of it subsides, and finally covers the whole of the overflown surface with mud By the heat of the sun, at low water and during the low tides, this sediment is dried, and converted into solid earth, pos- sessing extremely fertile properties. All the shallow basins and river-mouths of Minas and Cumberland Bays, have been filled with these alluviums of the sea, excepting only the narrow channels required to vent the water of the descending stream. The increase of these deposits is truly surprising. In the great Tan- tamarre Marsh, cordwood, French relics, trees, bridges, and fragments of wrecked vessels, have been found in ditching, twelve feet below the surface, M,nd more than two miles from the present boundary of the sea. Similar objects are also found deeply imbedded in the marshee of Hants and Kings Counties. Tracts of al- luvium are sometimes seen resting upon groups of fal- NOVA-SCOTIA. fa !en trees, which have been buried by the transporting power of currents. As Egypt is the gift of the Nile so are these marshes the gift of the tides An im- mense tract has been formed between Minudie and Sackville. An old channel of the Cornwallis river has been filled up, and the middle ground in the Canard has been united to the shore. Four square miles of solid land have been produced by the eddy of Starr's Point. This new tract has been made during the last fifty years, and has given rise to contentions in regard to the right of proprietorship. Other rivers afford evi- dences of the advances of the land, and Minas Basin itself is gradually filling up. Shingle beaches and mud flats are rising at many difi'erent points, and im- pediments are offered to navigation that were unknown a century ago. ,v/mr.; < ui-id . ■»f:> \t^ k''.f:iH' \ The marshes thus produced from the red marly sandstones of Minas Basin are more productive than those of Cumberland, where the rocks of the shores are more silicious, and consequently less fertile. — Thousands of acres have been rescued from the sea by embankments or dikes. They afford abundant crops of wheat, oats, and grass, and never require any manure. Such alluviums are also excellent stimu- lants for dry and sandy soil, and their use is growing more general. ^mi mi^jm Imfis? saryji dnjjs Anm . The marshes of the J*^orth-Eastern Counties, or such as border upon the Strai!« of Northurftberland, are less extensive, and from the small rise of the tides they are imperfectly drained at low water. They seldom yield any of the cultivated grasses. Those of the At- lantic coast are meagre in quality and but little im- proved. Some of the marshes of Yarmouth might be redeemed by diking and draining. At present they 60 NOVA-SCOTIA. '•» '•' •' . A'/ M\ are in their natural state, and yield but small crops of wild hay. From the abundance of decomposed ma- rine plants contained in them, they are very valuable for composts, yet, the inhabitants have scarcely begun to employ them as manure, "i'^'.'* -'it- A .HiUif^^vK ' The extent of those marshes upon all the principal rivers is a peculiar feature of Nova-Scotia : they sup- ply nearly two thirds of all the hay consumed in the country, besides crops of wheat and oats. The diked and marsh lands may be justly reckoned among the best agricultural resources of the province, but such is their general state at present, that they do not yield one half the amount of crop they would return by the application of labour and better management. '« *' *^*i'J'f ' Another class of alluviums occurs on the banks of almost all the streams, being known as " intervales." They are situated above the flow of the tides, and have been produced chiefly by the freshets of spring and autumn, by which they are overflown. Another variety, called high intervale, appears in terraced bor- ders along the flanks of the streams. These alluvial soils are the richest in the province. Their fertility, however, has not invited general improvement, and fine tracts of them are seen in every quarter overgrown by alders, and rank weeds. By retaining their mois- ture, such lands afford more certain crops of grass than the uplands, especially in dry seasons, and by supply- ing hay, they have fitted the country for the exten- sive rearing of cattle and sheep. In hay-time many farmers are seen clipping around the clumps of alder bushes, to gather the grass where nature has left a spot unshaded. The labour of bringing such tracts into open meadows is their dread, and excellent covers for snipe and Avoodcock are seen at their doors. Ditch- m NOVA-SCOTIA. 6.1 ing, levelling, and clearing up, are quite in disrepute. Many pride themselves in being able to " keep along" without them. The idea of cultivating tracts that annually receive the fertilising matter of the adjacent hills, is styled theory. To allow them to remain in a worthless state, is practice. If the first year's crop will not pay all cost, an axe in the garret is considered worth two in the swamp. Many are averse to trying experiments their fathers never meddled with. Hard labour is sometime supnused to denote poverty, and the reclaimer of an alluvial meadow must expect to bo called a mudlark, or a bog-trotter. A fine stalwart far- mer told me one day, that he should make no improve- ments until Responsible Government was brought into operation. His views were evidently those of the laundress in England, who refused to wash her master's linen, after she was informed that the Reform Bill had passed into a law. Jvtuf •?•,> .-'•oi^i-r •«'> ' • '»?:rir,'v -^iMr ,.»»,»'>;-:i; >,^,K; WILD LANDS, &C. ^,, ,..-;,,,, f,,,, ' Not more than one-tenth part of the whole area of Nof va-Scotia has ever been cleared of its timber : the re- maining surface is covered by the original foiests, peat bogs, and lakes. It is only along some of the fertile banks of the bays and rivers, that cultivation has begun to appear. From the advantages offered for the trans- portation of agricultural produce, the lands on the sides of the main post roads have been taken up, although they are not generally cultivated. These roads pass through some of the most populous villages and set- tlements, from which they frequently emerge into the wilderness, or the stumpy clearings of wew farms. — From the principal roads, others called byenroads, di- verge in different directions, to the back settlements, ."V. 11^ '11 : il ' 1 ! 11 |l \ t \ . . .'. ) 1 i > 1; !; ! i 1 ; j 1 i 1 \ \: \,':A 'i m %■ 62 NOVA-srOTIA. varying in their qualities from the smooth turnpike to the mere log-road and rabbit path. Ejrccpting Mus- quodoboit, Stewiacke, and Caledonia, few of these set- tlements are extensive. ' Ui7f»; w^j •..,-»r*-. ui. rr UiiiOiu '^ai U- aitm In its principal features, the territory before us is si- milar to the Atlantic side of New Brunsmick, and the coasts of all the American States, as far west as the western part of New York, where numerous towns and villages have sprung up, the rocks have been leveled and removed, and much of the surface render- ed arable. In Nova-Scotia, this boulder district has been the terror of the ignorant settler — its reputed steri- lity has turned away many respectable immigrants to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Many of the hardy sons of the country have not attempted the tillage of fine tracts that still remain ungran ted. The wide field open to their industry is neglected, the progress of agriculture upon its borders has been scarcely percept- able within the last twenty years. This state of things may in a great degree be ascribed to the lack of careful explorations and surveys, hitherto not autho- rised by the legislature. In Canada and the United States, careful surveys and examinations always pro- duce occupation, and prove a stimulus to improve- ment. C*"' tw .n-^jtritiHii t»J, I ■ <'^mtn {i^K:> )Xi ^IJt Of the whole tract under consideration, at least one quarter is fit for immediate cultivation, and by a mo- derately numerous population, two-thirds of its surface may be redeemed to tillage. The remaining part is little more than would be required for pasture, and the supply of timber and fuel at a future day. :ni^-} yoxmt ■ There is another very extensive wild district reach- ing from Cape Chignecto and the border of Cumber- land Bay, along tho southern side of Cumberland, and northern side of Colchester, embracing the Coboquid NOVA-sccru. 65 Moiiiitaius to the Stmit of Northumberland. It con- tains upwards of 1,000,0'*0 of acres. This belt of wilderness is thinly settled along its southern side at Parrsboro' ; and it forms the high lands north of the populous villages of Economy, Londonderry, Onslow, and Truro. The lands are more elevated, contain fewer lakes, and produce a more lofty growth of tim- ber, than the region before described. Although cer- tain portions of it are rocky, boulders are less nume- rous, and the tillable surface is greater. It is pierced by numerous rivers : two of which, the Five Island and Economy, come tumbling from the Cobequid hills in beautiful cataracts. There are many tracts of su- perior soil, and three quarters of the whole area will yield ample returns to the labor of the backwoodsman. The lands along both bases of the Cobequid range are rich, and so far as they have been cultivated, they promise more than ordinary crops of grain. in ;a Besides the uninhabited districts just referred to, there is in almost every county more or less ungranted wilderness land, and tracts that have been alienated from the crown. The whole quantity of ungranted land in the province is about 3,500,000 acres. The wild lands granted, but remaining unoccupied, and liable to be escheated, may be estimated at 3,000,000 acres. Much of this quantity has been purchased from the government merely for its timbcj. Upon an aver- age, such lands may be purchased at two shillings currency per acre. At a moderate calculation there are 4,000,000 of acres, including both the granted and the ungranted land in the province, that might be im- mediate!;/ obtained, and successfully cultivated. — Whenever that quantity is occupied, the nitroduction of roads, and other internal miprovementS; will offer 1 f>: 66 HOfA-tCOTIil. 1,500,000 acres more for settlement. We have then 5,600,000 acres open to immigrants, of whom 56,000 families may be supphed. This population must be considered apart from that which would naturally be engaged in the trades and manufacture, and also the inhabitants of towns and villages, the offspring of suc- cessful settlement. Many of the native population remove from the province to the United States a» soon as they grow up, and therefore, at the present rate of improvement, many centuries must elapse be- fore the wild lands of Nova-Scotia will be occupied by the native settler. Between the parallel belts of wilderness, the val- leys and the river mouths contain the best agricultu- ral settlements and finest villages of the province. They are almost surrounded by forests of primitive timber, and so limited is the surface, rendered arable by tillage, and so imperfect is the disclosure of its re- sources, that the country absolutely requires to be dis- covered again. - i' ..; ^ '.lu; ui i 'u.tii It is scarcely necessary to advert to the value of the wilderness lands as one of the industrial resources of Nova-Scotia. It is manifest that they form the basi» of all central improvement, as well as the foundation ef enduring wealth and contentment. They are in* deed reserves too vast for the present population, who would reap incalculable benefits by the improvements- their cultivation could not fail to effect. The opinion that those lands and their resources, should be con- cealed from respectable immigrants, or reserved for the descendants of the old loyalists, i& far too self- ish and narrow. Without more liberal views, and the introduction of public works of utility, those lands will remain impregnable to all redeeming operations. NOVA-SCOTIA. •T A most obvious impediment to the improvement of the country, is the lack of, or rather the entire absence of, general surveys and correct reports of the waste lands. Not without foundation is the opinion held foy many intelligent persons, that the marine survey of the pro- vince recently discontinued by the Admiralty is very imperfect. The mapoC the Provinces which has been published at the public expense, is incorrect and in- complete. Extraordinary deviations have been made in running the county ond township lines. Boundary disputes frequently arise, and lands described as being in one county are frequently found in another. The sites of rivers, lakes, mountains, and tracts of wilder- ness lands, are frequently determined by the opinions of lumbermen and moose-hunters. *' The eye and clever guess work" have been deemed sufficiently ac- curate in a new country where " the land is not worth quarreling about." No systematic nor scientific surveys have ever been madu, no meridional lines have been established. The actual situation of im- portant geographical stations have never been as- certained. Distances are computed by the time re- quired to travel over them. The blaze of a sable hunter has been the approved site for a road. — The geography of the country seems to be best known to the Indians, who determine locality and distance by the time required to drag a quarter of moose-meat from the forest, on a toboggon, or the soreness of their feet from the thong of the snow shoe. Nor are the observations of the cutters of broomsticks and the drivers of runaway pigs more satisfactory. Parcels of land have been lost, and cannot be found, others are reported to have changed their quarters, and the whole «ea of the waste lands are involved in a labyhuth ;l" 1 ■ j - : ■ i B i ■ 1 lit II 'i ■ **,_,- *,*'T Every effort has been made by the surveyor-j^ ne- ral, to prevent this disordered condition of the surveys, and no care is wanting in his office to obtain correct plans ; but the legislature have never placed the means at his disposal to enable him to remedy these evils, which will be perpetuated, until a general survey is made of all the ungranted lands. The united testi- mony of all the witnesses examined in Lord Durham's enquiry was, that great evils existed and would con- NOVA-SCOTIA. 69 tinue, from the total want of accurate surveys in Cana- da. If such De the fact in that colony, where there is a great crown land revenue, and a strong body of able surveyors, and also in New Brunswick, where the tim- ber duties alone are ample for the survp^'^ of the waste lands, what must be the condition Nova-Scotia, where the whole amount of land sales is little more than will maintain the establishment of an office, con- sisting of a principal and two clerks. If the withholding of the necessary means to com- plete a survey of the province and its wild lands, has been intended to prevent immigration and internal im- provement, it has been effectual in its operations. If otherwise, and a public boon has been denied with a view to economy, it has defeated its own object, by preventing the introduction of foreign capital and la- bor, it has driven the industrious settler from the province, and exiled the sons and daughters of the richest portion of the empire — the brightest gem in the imperial crown. Such have been the surveys in other British colonies and even cf islands in the Paci- fic Ocean, that persons desirous to emigrate there may ascertain the position, productions, and qualities of the soil, in England, before they leave her shores. This most necessary information cannot be obtained in Nova-Scotia except by actual inspection, and an ex- pensive survey of the land by the intended purchaser. At the Colonial Land and Emigration office in Lon- don, the want of proper surveys in Nova Scotia is con- sidered the chief discouragement to settlers with capi- tal to resort to the colony. It not only checks the in- flux of rural labor : but, also restrains the enterprise of the Nova-Scotians themselves, and arrests the progress of public melioration. An exception must here be 70 NOVA-SCOTIA. i ! !:«. ■ I i' i ■m I 'i 1^' '-. taken to two classes of persons who are benefitted by inaccurate and imperfect surveys : they are the barris- ters and the squatters of the province. By the litiga- tions they produce, they afford the former lucrative employment, and fill the courts with law suits, which will increase in number as the back lands are rendered more valuable. From the uncertainty of the positions of lines and boundaries, the squatter may fix his abode where it pleases him, and the whole of the timber on the lands of the interior is at the disposal of trespassers, who view all the wood upon ungranted lands as their own. To hope that the crown lands department can bring any revenue into the public chest under the pre- sent system, is to hope that the pendulum of a clock will vibrate without first being put in motion. The people of the United States have long since discover- ed the value of careful surveys and explorations.— Their most remote lands are laid out into counties, townships, tiers, and lots, and checkered like dice- boards. Their plans are accompanied by descriptions of the discovered resources. The forest pioneer has only to advance till he finds the number of his grant, when, to employ his own phrase, his journey is used up/ ■ >.--t . To the enquiry from what source can the expense of such surveys be obtained ? The reply that presents itself is, from the lands themselves. The evils result- ing from large grants, and those made to persons who neither occupy or cultivate them, are universally ad- mitted. Extensive blocks of land are allowed by their proprietors to remain in a wildernesis state, until roads have been opened to them, and they become valuable by the labor of poor settlers who approach them.— The great amount of private land kc^t in a wild state I..,' !, NOTA-SCOTIA. 71 has prevented the settlement of tiie interior districts, and shut up the forest from useful enterprise. A tax imposed upon all lands not improved, would be most salutary. In every case where such a tax should not be paid, the land should be sold, or escheated. Two shillings and six pence per annum for every hundred acres would not be an inconvenient tax for proprietors generally. Speculators in such property would be sti- mulated to improve or offer one half of their lands for the redemption of the rest. One hundred acres may be exempt to every settler who resides upon and im- proves his lot. This tax would only be equivalent to the quit rents, which have been commuted by the go- vernment to the pioneer, for the payment of an annual sum. A tax upon wild lands has been most advan- tageously levied upon the improved lands in Prince Edward's Island. Besides yielding a revenue, the proprietors have begun to exert themselves to find tenants; leases are granted upon more favorable terms, and the result is the rapid advance of agri- culture. From the funds thus obtained, a noble building, devoted to public uses, has been erected, and important works commenced. There is, there- fore, no uncertainty in the practical working of a scheme that operates beneficially in a colony where the lands have all been granted. The income derived from this tax in Nova-Scotia, phould first be applied to completing a perfect survey of the wild lands, with a brief description of their resources. It may then be devoted to the construction of roads to new settlements, and other objects necessary to encourage the young men of the province, or emigrants, to open the forests. In this way it would in reality be returned to those who paid it. I :■ •V ti .4:'^-, ii! NOVA-SCOTU. 'M m ; 'I '■*■■■'; J I Under the present system the unauthorised occupa- tion of land is scarcely considered an offence. Squat- ters, as they are called, are numerous in every quarter. It must be admitted that this class of persons is useful in a new country, they are the pioneers of the wilder- ness — the advanced guard of cultivation. But the evils that will ultimately fall upon them for their unlawful seizure of lands, far exceed the benefits obtained by their endurance and fortitude. Almost all the pauper immigrants that arrive in the province become squat- ters — to these are added the reckless and unfortunate of the native population. Of 1500 persons that arrived at Cape Breton in 1842, the greater number immedi- ately took possession of private lands. The average number of such immigrants who arrive in Nova-Scotia, is perhaps, 1000 per annum. It is true that squatters sometimes purchase the lands upon which they have fixed their habitations, yet such instances bear but a small proportion to the number who live on without ever seeking titles to their purloined fields. Some- times the rightful owner of the soil waits until the squatter has rendered his land valuable, when he ejects him, and in poverty and distress he commences his la- bor elsewhere, perhaps again to be driven away. — With a pig, a cow, and a few cakes of maple sugar, some are ready to migrate at an hour's notice. The government, and many humane individuals have been lenient towards this peculiar class of people. Were they to enforce their rights, hundreds of families, after having toiled hard for many years, would be cast upon the world in a state of abject misery. The humanity of the authorities and respectable grantees, has in some degree been the cause of an offence which they arc now unable to remedy. But there is a remedy in the n\ NOVA-SCOTIA. 73 hands of the legislature — a remedy that will render the squatter moral and happy, and at the same time extend the agriculture, and advance the interest of the country. In the first place, let a general survey be made, with some regard to the clearings of the above persons, who must be duly notified that they shall either pay a fixed price for their lands, become tenants, or remove within certain fixed periods. By such a regulation, nine-tenths of all the unauthorised occupants in the province, in ten years, would become freeholders. There are few grantees who would not agree to these terms. The efforts of these people to redeem the soil would then be doubled, and their so- cial condition greatly cheered and refreshed. Accord- ing to the evidence of the surveyor general, before the commissioners of Lord Durham, upwards of 1,000,000 of acres of land are liable to escheat. Neither the pro- vince nor individuals have ever been disposed to put the law of escheat in force, the form of proceeding being very expensive. This law requires modifica- tion. The cost it involves has long been the safe- guard of those who have forfeited their titles. Under the present system of management, the sale of the waste lands of Nova-Scotia yields but little revenue, and those lands are comparatively worthless to the ob- jects of colonization. In enumerating them among the resources of the province, it was necessary to show as briefly as possible, what their capabilities would be under an improved mode of reform, and a comprehen- sive system of local enterprise. ,.?> ., t , ,, , .■■|!" . FORESTS OF NOVA-SCOTIA. The chief part of the wild lands is covered with the native forest, and ees in every stage of growth .l":.. '■^immmm U NOVA-SCOTIA. J'^'ili' .41.;.;;;,..! i'l and decay. To know the forest is to live in the fo- rest. Such as would gain a knowledge of its beauty or gloom, must visit it at different seasons of the year, he must sleep upon the mosses in rummer, when the earth is shaded by a living mantle, in whose- folds the feathered songsters pipe forth their shrill melodies — he must see it in its gay autumnal dress^ of every color, and also in winter when all but the Pine tribe stand naked and leafless, bending and creak- ing before the cold northern breeze. It is in these wild interior districts that the moose and carriboo still roam at large, and the bear stalks forth in search of prey. The forests of Nova-Scotia are not surpassed in b'^aiity by those of any other part of North America. It is true that all the best timber that grew adjacent to the bays and rivers, has long since been felled and removed. The supplies now^ sent to the British market, are obtained by great labor, and therefore the timber trade of the province is below that of either Canada, or New Brunswick. Tae noble rivers of those provinces aflford far greater facilities for bringing to the seaboard the produce of the wilderness^ than the streams of the Acadian peninsula. If the small sized rivers have checked the timber exports from Nova-Scotia, they have been the protectors of a substantial stock for future necessities. Many fine forests may be opened hereafter, by the extension of roads and the clearing out of streams, now choaked with drift wood and wind falls. There are other rea- sons why there is less timber shipped from this pro- vince than from the neighbouring colonies. The in- habitants are more disposed to pursue agriculture and fishing. The timber and ship-building mania have not prevailed over steady occupations, and consequent- > u NOVA-SCOTIA. 75 ly there have been far less failures and bankruptcies in enterprises which from the uncertainty, of the home 4Juties on wood, and the fluctuations of the market, are by no means certain of profit. The deals made on the shores of the Bay of Fundy and Minas Basin with those of Cumberland, are sawed from the smaller spruces. The pines of the Atlantic bays and rivers are principally manufactured into boards and sent to the West India market. The bulk of the squared timber is collected at the North-eastern harbours, and sent thence to the ports of Great Britain. A great quantity of cord wood is shipped from Annapolis, Digby, and Yarmouth, to the United States. Sawed lumber is usually sent to the West Indies, or St. John. Railway sleepers, staves, shingles, lathwood, oar rafters, spars, hand-spikes and hoop-poles, also form a part of the oxports of wood. It is unfortunate that more extensive investigations have not been made, to ascertain the whole trade and industry of the province. No accurate information lias ever been obtained of the manufactures of Nova- Scotia, except such as are contained in the custom house returns of exports to other countries. In Cana- da and New Brunswick no labor has been withheld to ascertain the amount of industry and capital employed in the timber trade, the quantity and value of the an- nual produce, and the number of mills employed in sawing. The science of political economy cannot be applied where there are no facts to analyze. The real condition and future prospects of the country must therefore rest on all the uncertainties of theory. The internal trade and productions are neither known nor regarded : the home consumption of the produce of agriculture, the forests, the fisheries, mines and manu- 76 NOVA-SCOTIA. • I If! liiiiir i! 11; factures, and the value of the various kinds of property, with the interest they yield, are unknown : and mis- guided legislation must resul*. It cannot be surprising that so little is known of Nora-Scotia abro?id, when she is so little known at home. It is impossible at the present time to discover all the resources of the province, and it is equally difficult to find out how far they are employed. >*ff .«v '•■ ':■-■• - '>mtitm oh'mni ■.-ftp ,if!ti 1^ NOVA-SrOTU. 77 iperty, i mis- prising when ible at of the low far / ...... . . CHAPTER IV. t.,-,- ■■■* ., ■ , * * t\ It "/f;*f •f.'f?0 Mi; :i; Native Trees, and such aa grow without Cultivation in Nova- Scotia — Forest Fires — Second and Succeeding Growth of Plants. The different kinds of indigenous trees are divided, by the inhabitants, into two gi it classes, namely, hard-wood and soft-wood. Of the former, the maples, beeches, birches, ash, and oak, are the most important. These trees drop their leaves in autumn. The term softwood is applied to all the evergreens, or the varieties of the pine tribe. As this division is arbitrary, I have adhered to the botanical arrangement of the trees, and to the observations of the best writers upon the sub- ject, I have added such as naturally present them- selves under the climate, and the present state of in- dustry in respect to their uses. For the botanical descriptions, the reader is referred to Micheaux's North American Sylva, Browne's Forest Trees of America, and Eaton's Manual of Botany of North America. TIMACCiE. Tilia Americana, Watt - - Bass Wood. BAMAMELtDA. Hamamelis Virginica L. - - Witch Hade. THTMELIiC. > Moose Wood. M B M # . xiiflHJ n ^S'^;f■ Dirca Palustris, L. S Leather Wood ::,- f rs ^wvA-snOTIA. 'I I ;i Wi .1: *i 11'' ^:' :■' ^jii:':' 'i E ; ' 'If i' ii jj; ji : I , 1 w< ii!ir*' 8!i i li ■! POMACE «:. CratKgus punctata, Jacq. - - Thorn bush. crusgatti, Ait - - Thorn bush. ANYODALEO:. Ceraiflus borcalis, Mx. - - '*hokc Cherry. Caoadensis De : Cand. - M Cherry. LEOUMINOSEii:. Robinia paeudacacia, L - - Locust Tree. ULMACE^.. Ulmus Amaricana, L Fulva, Mx. ,,1 1 ,. , 1, , • » , '■ Elm. i/j i^^^. > Slippery Elm. CUPULIFER*. ' ' ''" ^ Coiylus Americana, Walt - - Hazle Nut ''' rostrata, Ait - ' - Beaked Hazle ^^ut '} Fagus ferruginia, Ait - - Beech Tree. sylvatica, Eat -,,.-«. White Beech. ..,){' Quercus rubra, L ' • • - Red Oak. ambigua, JStx. fp Grey Oak. '»»'? f. Alnus serulata, Willd. - - Alder. , Betula excelsa, Ait . , - - Yellow Birch. lentaUMx. '"•'"-" - Black Birch. '^ ' ^^^ papyracea, Ait - - Canoe Birch, ••a'-'r/lr^ populifolio, Ait - - White Birch, m yiij-.jii> glandulosa, Mx. - j ■ • the oltn. The wood is white, soft, and somewhat brittle. Its lightness recommends it for uses to which the while pine and jwplar are now r]'pUed. Witch Hazlc — (Hamamelis virginica.) This hardy tree is frequently called horn beam. Its ordinary height is twenty feet and the diameter eight inches. It flourishes best on gravely soil, where it is well drained. The trunk of the tree usually runs up like a screw, and besides being difficult to split, the fibres themselves are twisted together. The wood is hard, close grained, and tough ; it is therefore employed by farmers for handles, flails, beetles, rake teeth, and a variety of other purposes. When seasoned in the shade it is admirably adapted for strong handles, and "when turned in a lathe, its appearance is very beauti- ful. The inner bark, which is bitter, has been used medicinally. ../ ,. .:ii..-t .,-. Moose Wood — (Dirca palustris.) In severe win- ters the moose frequently feed upon the bark and branches of this tree, hence its name. Neat cattle will also browse upon its leaves. It usually forms a part of the low shrubbery in the forests. The wood is of little value. . „ ,;.... .,«.a Thorn Bush — (Cratagus p. and c.) Of the thorn there are two varities, which differ but little from each other, or from the European kinds. In autumn they abound with haws, upon which the partridges feed. I have several times seen a whole covey upon a single bush. These thorns are as valuable for hedges as any in the world, although they are rarely employed for that purpose. The wood is sometimes used for flails and walking sticks. Choke Cherry — (Cerassus horoalis.) This variety of the indiginous cherry, is seen occasionally along N0VA-90OTU. ^1 the borders ol' some of the higli inlcrvjiles. It is a small tree not readily distinguislied from its compan- ion, the wild cherry. Tho fruit ri|)ciis early, and when eaten has a peculiar astringent effect upon the lining of the throat and fauces. Tho wood is seldom used. Wild Cherry — (Cerassus Canadensis.) Wlien growing in the close forest, the wild cherry will some- times attain a height of fifty feet. The top is then small and almost fruitless. In new clearings, that are not kept down by cattle, or the scythe, it soon springs up. The haws are widely disseminated by birds. Neither time, the elements, nor the fires that consume tho timber, destroy their vitality, and they are ready to vegetate whenever a favourable opportunity offers. As an ornamental tree, the cherry has few rivals. Its growth seems to be favoured by transplantation, and many of the naked abodes of the farmers might be cheaply decorated with this hardy native of the soil. Another and higher advantage consists in the capabi- lity of the tree to produce the finest kinds of fruit. It readily receives and supports the engrafted scion of the cultivated cherry. By transplantation abundant stocks for scions may at once be obtained, and in the course of four years, rendered productive of the black heart, and other kinds of delicious cherries. I have found by experiment, that the stalk of the wild tree is quite equal to the cultivated seedling for the purposes of horticulture. The sapwood of this tree is white. — The heart is of various shades of red, which grow deeper by being exposed to the air. In the United States it is used for the wheels of wooden clocks, and when made into furniture, its beauty and durability are scarcely exceeded by any other kind of wood. — The fruit of both varieties of the indigenous cherry K S'i NOVA-SCOTIA, "! < has long been empioyed in tlie preparation of clierrjr brandy. The bark ol' the trunk and roots is used in domestic medicine. The infusion is a bitter astrin- gent, of much celebrity in the cure of jaundice and dyspepsia. Locust Tree — (Rohinia pseitdacacia. ) This fine genus of American trees is somewhat rare in Nova- Scotia. Its papiUonaccous flowers arc expanded in tlie latter part of May, and the seed frequently ripens. It is a most elegant ornamental tree. The wood — the celebrated locust of the United States — is fine-grained, light, and very durable, for which, and other proper- ties, it was highly praised by the late William Cob- bett. Another variety of the locust has been intro- duced into the province, and is increasing rapidly from the seeds. f*--«^-r; 'K..vt-!-".-^y,jrt. ,i,i: , ^ •:,«>;*. Elm — (Ulinus Americana.) This is one of the most beautiful trees the country atFords. Its favorite habitation is on the fine alluvium of the intervales, where it lifts its broad umbelliferous top far above its companions of the other genera. Its large dimensions, straight trunk, and pendulous branches, give it peculiar grandeur and grace. As the elm is very lofty, it is of- ten left standmg on meadows that have been cleared of their underbrush. A valley, with a river, bordered by intervales, and interspersed with noble elms, oflers some of the finest scenery of the country. The elm frequently attains a height of 90 feet, with a diameter of four feet. After rising 50 feet, it is frequently fork- ed, and large branches stand out in all directions. In very moist situations, the trunk is almost always hol- low, although the outer rim remains healthy, and the top luxuriant. J have seen trees of this kind 24 feet in circumiticnce. They arc enormous hollow tubes, like ' W V NOVA-SCOTIl. 83 the monument of London. Bears, or raccoons, and fly- ing squirrels, are the occupants of their dark cliam hers. Upon the dry ground, the trunk is soHd, and the wood tough and durable. The only use to which the wood is applied, is for fuel, for which it is excellent, yield- ing a large residuum of caustic ashes. From bending readily, it is made into oxbows, and sometimes mast- hoops. In former years, sled harness and ropes were made of the fibrous bark : but after they become dry, they are brittle. The wood is worthy of being sub- mitted to careful experiment. Slippery Elm — (Ulmus fulva.) This variety is sometimes seen upon rich table lands. The tree sel- dom exceeds 50 feet in height, and 18 inches in dia- meter. The wood is less compact than that of the white elm ; but it is strong, elastic, and durable. H/^ZLE Nut — ( Cory lus Americana.) This variety of the filbert may be properly classed among the shrubs. [t should be cultivated for ornament sake, and for its nuts. The corylus rostrata is rare. Beech Tree — (Pagus ferruginia.) This very beautiful tree is found in every part of Nova Scotia. — At numerous places it forms extensive groves, which cover the ground with an annual coat of leaves, and finally with a lively soil. Although never cultivated in the province, it is a highly ornamental and useful tree. Its proportions are governed by its situation. — It is very stately, frequently running up 50 feet, with- out a limb. When isolated, it is low, and branch- ing, with long, arching limbs, that touch the ground. The beech prefers a dry gravelly bottom, and fre- quently succeeds a growth of spruce and fir. The timber is fine, close-grained, heavy, and very durable, if kept constantly either wet or dry. I have seen the • ' '• , I »*• > 'nil SI, I 84 NOVA-SCOTIA. 11 t I. i ;. !! ll beech lloor-tirabers of vessels sound, while those of other kinds of wood were much decayed. The pro- perties of the wood are quite similar to those of the fagus sylvatica of England, and which is much used in turnery, mill machines, cabinet maker's articles, musical instruments, &c. In Nova Scotia it is seldom employed except for fuel. The beech produces a crop of nuts every second or third year. The blossoms are occasionally killed by the late frosts of spring. The nuts afford less oil than the mast of more southern la- titudes. They are sometimes gathered in small quan- tities, but the oil, which is as fine as the olive, is never extracted. The nuts are important for their fattening qualities ; and in bearing seasons, the beech supplies provender for droves of swine, driven from the settle- ments into the woods. " Beech-nut pork" is always oily. To cultivate the beech in hedges, the nuts should be planted shortly after the first sharp autumnal frost, at which time they begin to fall. In spring, the ground beneath the groves is often covered with the young seedlings. These are greedily eaten by cattle, and the nuts are sought for by wild animals, until the shoots are six inches high Considering the value and abundance of this kind of timber, it is surprising that it has never been an aiticle of export to Great Britain.— Excepting a few staves, I am not aware that beech timber has ever teen shipped from the Province. On the north mountains of Kings and Annapolis counties there are immense quantities of beech, which, from its proximity to the Bay of Pundy, might be cheaply transported. At present it forms a large part of the cordwood annually shipped to the United States. — The interior wilderoess also contains extensive groves of this wood. ivsb iu J-*")? ill M N0VA-3C0T1A. WP" I White Beech — (Fagus sylvatica.) The foliage of this tree can scarcely be distinguished from the other variety, and although of smaller dimensions than its fellow tho red beach, it is a beautiful tree ; the wood also is similar, except that it is white from the bark almost to the pith. The bark of the old trees contains a considerable quantity of tannin. The wood is esteemed for planes, lasts, mill cogs^ wedges, &c. Red Oak — (Quercus rubra.) The common oak of Nova-Scotia is a majestic tree, with a trunk frequent- ly free from limbs 60 feet high, and a diameter rang- ing from one to four feet. The circular top, supported by large branches, is sometimes 80 feet high. The acorns are large, but seldom numerous. The annular rings are thick, and the wood is porous. The cen- tral wood is heavy, tough, elastic, and very durable, The valley of Kings and Annapolis counties formerly contained fine groves of oak and pine. In the pro- gress of cultivation most of these have been felled. The best oaks are now found on the wilderness tracts of the western counties. On the borders of Lake Rosignol, and northward of Lunenburg, there still re- mains a valuable supply of that timber. The navy yard at Halifax is chiefly supplied from the latter place. Being inferior to English or American whitn oak, the timber has seldom been shipped to Britain. In the province it is employed in shipbuilding, for farming implements, and a variety of other uses. The bark is seldom preserved for tanning. Grey Oak — (Quercus ambigua.) This is proba- bly only a hybrid. It is not abundant in Nova-Scotia. Its size is inferior ; but the wood is supposed to pos- sess greater strength and durability than the red oak. A small shrubby oak growing on the sides of the Gas- rf^ 86 NOVA-SCOTIA. ilifljii'l llltrJ!; pereaii and other lakes is frequently cut for flails and walking sticks. It resembles the Qnercus cetesbaci of Micheaux. f Alder — (Alnvs serulata.) This is a lov\r shrub that inhabits the moist grounds. Alder swamps are common in every part of the country. They are the resort of the partridge, woodcock, and snipe. The wood is of little value, and is seldom used except for withs and hoop-poles, which soon decay. The bark contains much tannin, and is sometimes made into dyes and medicinal decoctions. i Yellow Birch — (Betula excelsa.) The yellow birch is common in almost every district of Nova-Sco- tia, and forms a part of every hard wood forest. It prefers a soil moderately moist, and frequently associ- ates itself with ash and hemlock. On good ground it is a magnificent tree, with a leafless trunk and wide diameter. The wood is fine-grained and durable, es- pecially under water. The young trees supply hoop- poles and broom-sticks. At all ages it is substantial fuel. Of late but small quantities of the timber are exported ; it is chiefly appropriated to the lower tim- bers of ships. JUlli (tf.ffij^ Black Birch — (Betula lenta.) This is also a fine forest tree, of early and very beautiful foliage. It attains great height, and, occasionally, four feet in diameter. This is a sweet 'tented wood, remarkably close-grained, and often diversified by reddish and cho- colate colored stripes and spots, like mahogany ; these have given it a celebrity for tables, bedsteads, and other kinds of furniture. It is also much used in shipbuild- ing, for which it has obtained a high character. For- merly the timber was exported to the home market. As fuel, it burns freely, gives out much heat, and con- NOVA-SCOTIA. 87 sumes slowly, always leaving a great quantity of bril- liant embers and finally caustic ashes. The bark may be successfully used in tanning hides. The presence of this birch always indicates a strong and productive soil. Canoe Birch — (Betula papyracea.) The pai)er birch, or bolsau a canot of the Acadians, is l e of the most majestic trees of the country. It is seen in the fo- rests 60 feet high, without a limb. The top is frequent- ly 80 feet above the ground. From being forked, the smaller trees are made into sled and cart tongues. — The wood is white, except the heart, which is stained light red : it is less durable than the black birch, but from being fine grained and light, it is used by cabinet makers and wheelwrights ; grain shovels, wooden dishes, and other turnery, are also made of this birch. The paper-like bark of the tree is applied to a varie- ty of purposes. Its lamina are separated, and laid over the crevices of buildings previous to shingling and clap-boarding. A sheet folded at the corners, is a con- venient vessel for containing any fluid. The Indians have always constructed their canoes of this bark. — The outer covering of a single tree has been found suf- ficient for two canoes, each capable of carrying ten persons. They also form it into a variety of fancy ar- ticles, which, being ornamented by colored porcupine quills, command a ready market. Formerly their dead were enveloped in bark cofiins. And such is its du- rability that it presents perfect tubes many years after the wood has entirely disappeared. The sites of birch trees that have been buried in the alluviums are only known by the existence of flattened tubes of this kind. White Birch— f^e^w/a populifoUa.) The white birch is foimd in the handsome groves upon dry ^Ll M '.. \^:' 88 NOVA-SCOTIA, m\ mi r gravelly soil, and intermixed with the spruces and other members of the pine tribe. It seldom exceeds 40 feet in height, and 10 inches in diameter. Both the wood and the bark are white ; the latter is not durable, and therefore is seldom used except for char- coal, of which it supplies nearly all that is consumed in the country. Wrtii- u w^^i^^t^i - Shrub Birch. Grey Birch — (Betula glandifolia.) This is a small but very pretty tree, growing upon the forest lands and clay bottoms. A mixture of gray birch and alder is the favourite haunt of the wood- cock. The wood is hard, exceedingly tough, and elastic ; but not durable, unless kept dry. The sap- lings are cut for hoop-poles, broomsticks and sled pins. ''^ ■'■ ^^'m\z r i»u Horn Beam — (Carpinus americana.) The horn- beam is sometimes 40 feet high, with a corresponding diameter. The wood is hard, and when seasoned, re- markably close grained and strong : it is therefore prefered for levers, rake teeth, axe handles, and a va- riety of other purposes. It occurs most frequently in the hard-wood forests of the high lands. tf 1 •r Balsam Poplar — (Popuhis balsamifera) Three varieties of poplar have been observed growing wild in Nova Scotia. The balsam poplar, commonly called " balm of Gilead," is occasionally seen along the ter- raced borders of intervales. Within a few past yeai'S it has been transplanted into the gardens of some of the farmers, where it increases rapidly, but exercises a deleterious influence over their vegetation. During the opening of the resinous buds, it exhales a delight- ful odor. The wood is soft, brittle, and consequently worthless. Tree Poplar — (Popuhis grandidentata.) The NOVA-SUOTIA. 89 common poplar is from 40 to 50 feet in height, and sometimes 2 feet in diameter at the base. This Ught wood possesses sufficient elasticity and strength to render it useful. It is well adapted for staves, the wings of winnowing machines, &c. Popple boards, as they are called, are durable in dry situations. Tho tree grows upon any kind of soil, and when isolated, it is a graceful ornament. White Poplar, American Aspen — (Populous tro tnuloides.) This beautiful variety of the poplar is from 20 to 30 feet high. The bark of the young tree is of a light green, and the leaves are in constant motion, even when the air is apparently calm. The wood is light and brittle. Trees of this kind would be highly ornamental along the fence rows of fields. Black Willow — (Salix nigra.) The largest of the willow is supposed to have been introduced by the early French settlers, whose ancient willow hedges are now represented by trees from 20 to 40 feet in length. Swamp Willow — (Salix eriocephala.) Shining Willow. — (Salix ludda.) These varieties are not applied to any useful purpose. Osier, or Basket Willow — (Salix viminalis.) The bpsket willow is not indigenous to Nova Scotia. In the fe'v instances where it has been introduced, it produces osiers abundantly. At present all the baskets used in the country are made of ash and maple " splits." The growing of the basket willow would therefore be advantageous. Butternut — (Juglans cinerea.) It is remarkable that the butternut does not grow wild in Nova-Scotia. On the banks of the Upper St. John, farther north, this nut is common, and the trees eometimes rise 70 ■-.t! ) vf. ; 90 «0VA-SC0Tf4. iii^ feet. The origin of the butternut in this province may be traced to cultivation. Its planting on the borders of pastures, in the cleared districts, is worthy of con- sideration, for thousands of barrels of the nuts are an- nually brought into the province from the United States. Silver Maplb, White Maplk, Striped Maflc. (ace?' eriocarpum.) — A branching tree of considerable size. It blossoms early in the spring, and contains a sap that is slightly sacharine. The value of ; 'ie wood has been greatly underrated. Besides possessing light- ness, it has great strength, flexibility, and elasticity. Of it the Indians made their bows and arrows. Of late it has been tried for cart bodies, axles, &c., and found to be superior to any other kind of wood for those purposes. White maple gig shafts are stronger than those made of ash. With copperas the bark af- fords a black dye. Striped Maple, False Dogwood, Moosewood-- (Acer pensylvanicum.) This maple seldom exceeds 15 feet in height, and as the moose deer feed upon its bark and limbs, it has been called moose wood. It is known by its greenish striped bark. Red Maple — (Acer rubrum.) In the forests this maple grows to a height of 50 feet, having a round trunk, to which broad leaved lichens frequently ad- here. It prefers moist ground, and is most common along the courses of the rivers, brooks, and low plains. It is an elegant tree, which puts forth its red blossoms early in the spring, when it vies with the bilberry in its gaudy attire. The wood is white, of delicate tex- ture, and strong ; but from containing a large quantity of sap, it shrinks much in seasoning. It is employed for poles, fuel, and a number of domestic purposes ; NOVA-SCOTIA. 91 the sap yields sugar by simple evaporation ; but in a less quantity than the sap of the acer saccharimtm. With alum the bark gives a black dye, and the green wood is immediately stained by being in contact with iron. The saplings make good hoop poles. Sugar Maple, Hard Maple, Rock Maple — (Acer saccharinum.) The sugar maple is one of the most valuable of American trees. The luxury that it af- fords while living, and the timber it supplies when felled, are equally important. This noble production of the province often attains a height of 60 feet, with a corresponding thickness. It usually selects the higher grounds and acclivities ; yet it does not shun the rich banks of the rivers where the subsoil is deep, and it sometimes forms extensive groves, well known us sugaries, or sugar orchards. The seasoned wood is of a light chocolate color, heavy, close in texture, and strong. All trees yielding a large quantity of sap, readily absorb water, and, therefore, this wood is not durable when it is exposed to moisture. The woody fibres are often curiously waved, curled, and dotted ; hence we have " curled maple" and " birds eye ma- ple." From the beauty of these varities, the wood is extensively employed by cabinet makers for furniture, and small quantities have been shipped to Great Bri- tain. The large excrecencies that sometimes grow upon the tree, are cut off and turned into bowls and other kitchen articles. As fuel it is superior, and after combustion it leaves a large residuem of caustic ashes, which aid in the manufacture of domestic soap. It is to be regretted, that so many fine groves of sugar ma- ple, have disappeared before the axe and the fire. Such groves are valuable for the sugar they are capa- ble of supplying annually. Indeed the cultivation of 92 IfOVA-SCOllA. :t\r, the tree would be profitable tor that article, indepen- dant of the timber. The method of making sugar from the sap, will be treated of under the head of do- mestic manufactures. Mountain Maplk Bush — (Acer viminalis.) — Is a small tree inhabiting the highest hills and slopes. — The proporties of the wood are little known. White Ash — (Fraxinus Americana.) — The white ash grows most stately on the intervales, banks of small streams, and moist lands, where it rises 50 feet, and often without a limb to within 15 feet of the branching top. It seems to court the society of the elm, and with it lifts it head far above the clusters of white maple, and other shrubbery. The sapwood is white, and like the oak, the annular rings are perfect and very distinct. From its ability to bend, and retain its position afterwards, it is used for a great variety of purposes, and enters largely into the construction of implements of husbandry. It is also made into oars and staves, and shipped to the West India market. — The bark contains a good share of tannin. This va- luable wood is not abundant, except in the remote for- est? Black Ash — (Fraxinus Sambudfolio.) — This tree accompanies the white ash, and seeks ground that is constantly wet. The annular rings are distinct, and readily separate from each other by percussion. The wood is therefore pounded and torn up into strips, or "splits," as they are called, which are made into bas- kets and chair-bottoms. It also supplies axe handles, handspikes, &c. Swamp Ash — (Fraxinus Juglandifolia.) Is a small variety, with leaflets from 6 to 15 inches long. — The wood is seldom used. NOVA-SCOTIA. 91 Whitl Cedar— CCypressMs thyroides.) The pine tribe has always excited much interest in this coun- try, the woods having created an extensive trade with Great Britain and the West Indies. There are upwards of twenty species of pine in North America, ten of these are natives of the British provinces. Although the white cedar is abundant in Prince Edward's Island, New Brunswick, and the neighbouring territory, it is very scarce in Nova-Scotia. The trees grow in wet ground, and in cedar swamps, they stand close toge- ther, amidst almost impenetrable groups of windfalls. The wood is light and strong, and, excepting the sap, it is almost imperishable. It is very valuable for rails, railway sleepers, posts, and many other objects. White Spruce — (Pinus alba.) This resinous evergreen flourishes as far south as lat. 43", It is therefore a common tree in Nova-Scotia and Canada, where it is called by the French inhabitants epinette blanche. Its growth is nearly equal to the European silver fir. The long tapering trunk is surmounted by a spear-shaped top, that stands above the ordinary level of the forest, bending and creaking to every breeze. The wood is employed in buildings of every kind, and sawed into deals and boards for the home and for- eign markets. The small roots are very strong, so long as they are kept moist ; they are used by the In- dians for cords. With them they sew up the seams of their canoes, barks, &c., and with the resin they make them perfectly tight. Black Spruce — (Pinus nigra. ) The bark of the trunk and branches of this variety is of a blackish colour. It is one of our most lofty forest trees, tower- ing above the oak and the elm. Seen at a distance, the lanced shaped tops of the spruces appear to dot the I • ;.'<:.i^ 94 MOVA-SCOTIA. r\ il;'»- I lii forest over, and rise in an extra crop above its top level. It occasionally stands 120 feet high. In the forest, the trunk is limbless from 40 to 70 feet, hence its value for squared timber and " saw-mill logs." In open spaces, the branches occupy its whole length ; the summit is a very acute angle, terminated by a single twig. Such trees are usually selected for taking observations in the wilderness. If the climber loose his hold, the abund- ance of branches below arrest his fall, and enable him to catch again. They are sometimes so close and thickly leaved, that 20 men may conceal themselves in a single tree. I have often ascended to the tops of lof- ty spruces, and been swung about in the breeze with every feeling of safety, nor is the sensation thus pro- duced at all unpleasant. f Hemlock — (Pinus Canadensis. ) This is a large and very beautiful tree, bearing in its foliage a resemblance to the yew. It occupies a range even from Carolina to the northern part of Canada. It prefers a soil of medium moisture, and appears in large groves, mixed with yellow birch, spruce, and sugar maple. It is also lofty, and the largest trees huve a diameter of four feet at the base : but the trunk lacks the symmetry of the spruce and pine, and is often twisted and '' shakey." The wood has long been held in low estimation, yet of late, in some of the populous villages, necessity has brought it into use for buildings, and its value is better understood. When immersed in water, or buried in the ground, the hemlock is durable ; it is therefore employed for wharves, fence posts ; and within the last three years a market has been made for it in the mo- ther country, where it is laid down for railway sleepers. It has long been employed for lathwood, of which large quantities are shipped. Granaries, or grain bins I' If; NOTA-ICOTU. 95 made of hemlock are not altacked by mice. In North America the bark is universally used in tanning lea- ther. Laugh, Hacmatac, Tamarac — ( Pinus pendula.)— The larch ranks among the most beautiful and valua- blo trees of British America. The trunk is straight, and gently tapering, with a diameter ranging from one to two feet. Its top is a close tuft, with pendant branches. The wood is stronger and more durable than any other of the pine tribe, it is therefore highly valued for ship building, and eagerly sought for to con- struct such works as are exposed to alternate wet and dryness. It is admirably adapted for doors, floors, and other parts of dwelling houses, and when smoothed and {K)Iished, it is by no means inferior in beauty. Its durability for posts is next to cedar ; for shingles, tree- nails, cooper's work, water wheels, and many other purposes, it is almost unrivalled. The superiority of larch railway sleepers lias created a demand for the wood in England. Groves of large hacmatacs are by no means common in Nova-Scotia, but the tree is springing up in all directions, as the successor of forests destroyed by fire. Many waste tracts are covered by young larches, and this valuable wood promises to be more abundant in the course of a few years than it has been heretofore. Every care should be taken to preserve the young timber. Fir Tree — (Pinus balsamea.) The common fir grows abundantly, and to great perfection in Nova- Scotia, being frequently seen in thick groves upon lands that had been cleared of birch, beech, and sugar maple. The ordinary height of a full grown tree is fifty feet, and the diameter 15 inches. The trunk tapers away gradually, and the summit is a sharp iKilt NOVl-SCOTU. ilf-^'» r 1iH ^^ ,11 point. In wet grounds it is frequently hollow at the heart. The wood is white, quite strong; but very brittle, and easy to rive. Tt is most extensively used for poles, from 12 to 20 of which are taken from a sin- gle full grown tree. It also aflFords light and durable boards, staves, &,c. In Prince Edward's Island it is 8aw3d into deals, which sell readily in the British market. The balsam, or resin, is used for medicinal purposes by the inhabitants, and the chantier and barn of the backwoodsman, are frequently covered •with the bark. Red, or Norway Pine — (Pinus resinosa.) The pinus resinosa frequently called pitch pine, and yel- low pine, grows in beautiful close forests, with clean bottoms. It seldom exceeds 70 feet in height, and the diameter is from two to three feet. It prefers a dry sandy loam. The bark is red, and the sap wood is from two to three inches in thickness. The true wood is strongly impregnated with resinous matter, and is strong and durable. It is admirably adapted for floors, and would command a good price in the home or West India market. White Pine — {Pinus strobus. ) This is the richest production of the forests of British America. As a staple article of commerce and domestic use, it is un- rivalled. It is the largest and most valuable tree east- ward of the Rocky Mountains ; frequently it rises to the height of 200 feet, with a trunk 5 feet in diame- ter, I have measured pine trees on the late disputed territory, between New Brunswick and the United States, that were eighteen feet in circumference. — The lofty pine towers far above his indigenous asso- ciates, and is leafless except at the very summit. It is the monarch of the wilderness, which seems to aspire to i N0VA-9COTIA. 97 reach the clouds, yet it bends before the gale, and waves its umbrella-shaped top high in the air. When it is felled, it crushes down the smaller wood, and by striking uneven ground, it in sometimes broken. This noble tree flourishes best on deep, sandy soil, although it will not refuse to grow on ridges of granite, and amidst shapeless rocky boulders. The wood is straight, fine, light, free from knots, and most easily worked : hence it is almost universally employed. It supplies masts for the largest ships, square timber, deals, boards, scantling, clapboards, shingles, and the wood used for the finishing of every kind of carpenter's work. Its applicability to the common requirements of modern ar- chitecture have rendered it by far the most valuable of all the native trees. The fertile valleys of Kings and Annaix)lis counties, the sandy soils of Hants, Colchester, Cumberland, and Pictou were formerly occupied by majestic oaks and pines. The enormous size and great durability of the latter, are attested by the stumps that still remain in the soil. Large pines are now only found in the re- mote wilderness districts previously described. Gray Pine — (Pinus rupestris.) This is a small coniferous tree, found as far north as Baflin's Bay. It is a mere shrub, growing in rocky and barren districts. Bilberry — ( Vaccinia vitis-idma. )— The bilberry, or giant whortleberry, is from 12 to 20 feet high. — Early in May, and before the shrub has put forth its leaves, it is adorned with a profusion of flowers ; the appearance of which is the farmers signal for planting Indian corn. The wood is fine, hard, and strong, and well adapted for turning. Mountain Ash— ( fisher- man and the " speculator in fish," the latter carry pork, flour, molasses, tobacco, gin, and almost every article required by the provincial fisherman. These vessels are soori' " out of water," spring a mast, or some of the crew fall sick, and they are steered into some of the estuaries or harbours, where they are kindly relieved, at least of their superfluous cargo, by the inhabitants. A barter iraflic is immediately com- menced. Green, salted, and half-dried fish are taken MOVi-BCOTU. 107 seeiy )urs of ward's le with y, and le &9h, permits lel, and ision. — isk, the clearing sries. I )W8prit», Bid been he skip- It, or by )racticed. [the eas- shaliops, . They casks, ills, and ill kinds; at fisher- ter carry (St every These a mast, steered they are •go, by lely com- iie taken in payment for American goods, which from being landed free from the payment of any duty, are given (0 the fishermen at a lower price than those obtained from the established merchant. The business of the •muggier is soon completed, and always in time to keep clear of the revenue officer ; and he departs, leaving the butts and flakes of the shoremen fishless. A few hours afterwards the crew of the foreign visits are perhaps engaged in drawing up the finny broods of the sea, or they steer to another iniet to strike new bar* gains. Should a British cruizer appear, or a preven- tive officer reach the deck, there are plenty of holes in the treaty to creep out at. If the vessel and cargo are seized under the law, the act is soon made a seri- ous matter of negotiation, and forsooth, a war is threat- ened by the apprehension of an American citizen, found in the act of carrying on a contraband trade. Some of the American skippers will relate their ad- ventures with all the sangfroid and good nature im- aginable. A very clever old captain told me, that he " once ran into St. Mary's. Tidings of my doings had got out, and on the night of my arrival, a revenue cutter came to anchor right along side of me. What to do I did not know. I could not get away as the wind blow'd a stiffer right into the harbour. AU at once I had it. In less than no time I cleared away for action, i sent ashore and borrowed two young calves from one of my old customers, and lifted them on deck. One of them squalled out prodigiously. I stowed all the cordwood I had aba^t the foremast ; but the best of it all was, I dressed two of my Nan- tucket boys in women's clothes, topping them off with a pair of bonnets sent in my vessel as a venture. By the first peep of day I set them to washing shirts 108 NOV A- SCOTIA. on deck, and as soon as I seed tlie crew of tho cutter begin to move, which they did not until long after sunrise, I went in my little boat and axed the people of the cruiser if they would give me a bit of old canvass to mend my mainsail, and sure enough they gave me a fairish piece. There we all lay till 12 o'clock, tho women washing and drying clothes, and our calves blating like mad for their mothers. The wind came round, the cutter got under weigh, and as she rounded past us, the captain hailed me, and asked if I would sell one of the calves. I told him they were a particular breed and not for sale, ' I think that remark' said he, ' will apply to your whole crew,' not a bad joke was it, and after laughing heartily at me, my wasiierwornon, and my calves, my gentleman sheared off. When I seed that his jib was the right way, I made a low bow to him, and after he was clean gone, I sent my calves on shore, turned my washerwomen into boys again, and finished the trade of the Peggy Ann." " In another instance" said this cute old captain, " it was stark calm, and as the fog cleared up a little, I saw T was in the very jaws of a ship of war, and I almost gave up all for lost ; however, as they were lowering their jolly boat to board me, I skulled off to them, all alone, in my little punt, and asked the people in the ship if they knowed what was good for the measles. I could hear them laugh from stem to stern. A ]big fat man, they called the doctor, told me to keep my patients warm, and to give them hot drinks. It was enough , they took care not to come near the Peggy Ann that time." By such and similar practices, the merchants who advance to the fishermen, goods legally entered, are defrauded, the resources of the country are thrown II '-rk lilt NOVA^ICOTU. 101) away, and ihe inorals ol" tlie jwoplo contaminalt-d. Aggressions and illicit trade aro not confined to any part of the coast. During the fishing seasoti, Ameri- can vessels enter the harbours and surround the island of Grand Manan ; they aro scattered along the shores of the Bay of B\indy, and visit the bays, harbours, and inlets of Nova-Scotia, Cape Breton, Prince Edward's Island, and coast of Labrador. They are also very numerous in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, where they occupy the best banks, to the exclusion of British sub- jects. American fishermen have landed upon the shorcS; taken the bait, destroyed the nets, and even plundered the dwellings of the harmless inhabitants. In 1829, France employed from 250 to 300 vessels in the fisheries on the British American coasts, and 26,000 sea-going fishermen, who by treaty are not permitted to become residents. Their vessels are from 100 to 400 tons burthen, and carry from 40 to 120 men each. In the abo j year, the Americans em- ployed in their fisheries 1,600 vessels, manned by 15,000 seamen, and took 1,000,000 quintals of fish, and 3,000 tuns of oil. At the lowest estimate, one quarter of these vessels fish within the bounds pre- scribed by the treaty. At that period the British catch was 2,000,000 of quintals annually.* This es- timate has recently been brought up to 1847, by Pa- trick Morris, Esq., Treasurer of Newfoundland, and who, in his recent work, has ably set forth the perni- cious effects of the concessions made to the French and Americans. '^-^ By this writer, the French catch is estimated, from * British North American Colonies, by George R. Young, Esq., of , Halifax, Nova-Scotia. London, Ridgway & Sons, Piccadilly, 1834. 'r no NOVA-SCOTIA. !l! •■■'"■' m official documents, at 1,00U,000 quintals, the bounties at £125,000 sterling per annum, and the number of fishermen employed at 26.000. The American fishery is estimated to employ 37,500 men, from 1,500 to 2,000 vessels, with a bounty of twenty shillings per ton, and the catch is estimated at 1,500,000 quintals. The British fisheries on the coast of Newfoundland are es- timated at 25,0o0 men, and the catch is estimated at 1,000,000 quintals. Perhaps the whole of the British North American fisheries, including the Bay of Fundy, the coast of Nova-Scotia, the Gulph, Gaspe, Labrador, and Newfoundland fisheries, ex-^ tending along a coast of about 3,000 miles, do not exceed in v£ ae £1,500,000 sterling, while two and a half millions of quintals are annually carried away from our doors by the French and Americans. The most pernicious effect, as a national consideration, is that by means of their bounties, the French and Americans are enabled to monopolise the bank fish- ery, the best nursery for seamen, while the British fishery is confined to boats along the coast. It is impossible for the British anr^ Colonial fisher- man ever to compete with the French and Americans in these fisheries, so long as the latter are cherished and stimulated by bounties, that not only encourage the taking of fish in our waters, but draw away from us our best fishermen. This state of things can only be prevented by carefully protecting the privileges that still remain to us, by giving a bounty to our own fishermen, and by compelling foreiguers to fish in the manner laid down by the treaty. Mr. Morris has pro- posed that the French and Americans be allowed to fish in all our bays and harboUiS, provided they will •:f;■'•;^ NOVA-SCOTIl, 111 ^f/ discontinue their bounties. But the inhabitants of these provinces have been taught to know that such permission would not only drive them from the deep sea banks ; but also prove fatal to their shore fisheries. The French are restricted to fishing with common hooks and lines. Within a few years past they have invented, and now employ bultows, of which some vessels have 10,000 fathoms. These bultows are most detrimental, and will prove extremely destructive to the Bank as well as ihff inshore fisheries. It has been supposed that the British armed vessels upon the North American station are sufficient to check the evils so long complained of. The length of the coast, including the bays and other indents to be guarded, exceeds 2,000 miles, a fleet of 50 sail would therefore be insufficient for the coast guard, and our men of war are much too lai^e for this kind of service. Nor would the skill of their commanders enable them to contend with swarms of chary and ingenious fisher- men, who shelter themselves under the terms of a treaty, which by numerous pretexts may be evaded. It had long been hoped that the remonstrances an- nually sent from these colonies to the home govern- ment, would finally bring protection : but so late as the 19th May, 1845, a despatch to Lord Falkland, then governor of Nova-Scotia, states that " After mature deliberation her Majesty's government deem it advisa- sable for the interests of both countries, to relax the strict rule of exclusion exercised by Great Britain ovtr the fishing vessels of the United States.^' Another despatch of the 17th of Sept., 1845, brought the un- welcome tidings, that the Bay of Fundy " has been thrown open to the Americans^ under certain rcstric' . • '■■■ -K. '.,■»; 112 NOVA-SCOTIA. '*il' Ik' t,', 'H li":-'! ifh\ ^i:■ .:JiilL ii'll tio7is.^' No policy could be more fatal to the welfare of Nova-Scotia, than this gradual yielding up of her maratime resources to the neighbouring States. The abundance and cheapness of bread and other provisions, enable the Americans to fit out their vessels at a lower rate than they can be supplied in any of the ports in the province. The tonnage and other boun- ties on fish granted by the eastern States, have stimu- lated their inhabitants in this branch of industry, and to their credit it may be added, they are more skilful and indefatigable in taking and curing the finny inha- bitants of the sea, than the general run of fishermen upon our shores. In 1839, the export of mackarel from the port of Halifax was only 19,127 barrels. In 1841, it was 35,917 barrels; and in 1842, 54,158 barrels. This increase has been ascribed to the employment of re- venue cutters, which also protect the fisheries, and by enforcing the restrictive regulations, upwards of 100 sail of American vessels, which carried away 30,000 barrels of pickled fish annually, from the shores of Cape Breton, have been kept at bay. The protective operations have had a corresponding influence upon the trade of the Americans to our waters ; for in 1835 they had 61,082,1 1 tons of shipping employed in these fisheries, which in 1844 had decreased to 11,775,50 tons. Since that period the fisheries carried on by British subjects have continued to prosper. It has been deemed necessary thus briefly to advert to the state of our maratime privileges, for although they are important resources, their value can only be estimated by the benefit derived from them by British subjects, and not by the citizens of foreign States. NOVl-SCOTIA. 113 MARINE AND FRESH WATER FISHES OF NOVA-SCOTIA, NEW-BRUNSWICK AJSD PRINCE EDWARD's ISLAND. MAMMALIJ L.» Phoca vitulina, L. » - - Common Seal. Ciistata, L. • - - Hooded Seal. CETACEJ! L. Delphinus, Delphis, - - Grampus, or porpus. phocsna, ..♦ - Gladiator, Sword fish. Balsena mysticetus, L. - Common Whale. Anarnacua Greenlandicus, Black Fi8h.t CARTILAGINOUS FISHES. Potromyzon marinus, - - Sea Lamprey Eel. fluviatilis, - Freshwater Lamprey Eel. Scyllium canicula, *m Sea Dog, or Dog Shark. Carcharias glaucus, -Uif-t:^ - Blue Shark. vulpuB, - Thrasher. Raia batis, - . - - Skate. Accipenser sturio, - Stuigeon. OSSEOUS FISHES. Ostracion triqueter, - - Trunk Fish. Salmo salar, - • - Salmon. tnitta, - - r,4 - Salmon Trout. fario, - " - Common Trout. hucho, - - . - Hunchen Trout, Togue. Clapea harengus, - Common Herring. menhaden, - Menhaden. alosa, - - V - Shad. vernalia, - - Alewife, Gaspereau, Kiack. — minima, - - Brit Esox lucius, - - - - Pickerel. belone, - Sea Pike. " Cyprlnus auratus - Golden Carp. erysolencus, - - Shiner. '— — atronasus, * Minow. obiongus. - Chub. tores, - - - - Sucker. ,1 V ■', ■ ■ -1. • :i, i ,«, " ' J, '■•■ X . ■ * ■ • The Mammalia h"v« been d-'-oecl with the fishes in the preient instance for the iake of convenience. t i observed this fish in the bays of Cape Breton. 1; ;* :^\ ■ .(ft .«■,: .'f:i. ii4 novA^scOTiJk* Leuciscus ^itilus, ^ « Roach/ V ulgaria, - - Dace. alburnus, - - . Bleak. cephalus, - - - Chub. Gadus morrhua, - . - Common Cod. rupestris, - - - Rock Cod. arenosua, - - - Shoal Cod. merluccius, - - Hake. taucaud, - - - Tom Cod. fuscu8, - . . Frost Fish. Brosmus vulgaris, . - Cusk. Morrhua eBglefinna, - - • Haddock. Merlangus vulgaris, - ' •■ Whiting. poHachius, - - - Pollock. Raniceps blenoides, - • - Garter Fish, Platessa vulgaris, - - Flounder. :. 'poglossus vulgaris, - - - Halibut ^ olea vulgaris, - - - Sole. Cyclopteras lumpus, - - - Lumpfisb. minutus, - - - Lumpsucker^ Echeneis remnra, - - Sucking Fiah. Naucratus,. - - • Anguilla vulgaris. - - Common Eiel. Conger murtena, - - - Conger Eel. Aoarchicas lupus, - - Wolf Fish. Labrus tautoga, - J - Tautog. tautoga fusca, - - - tautoga alia, - ■ - coricus, - - - Blue Perch. squeteaguo, - - - ma ilatus, - - Scorpaena porcus. - - Yellow Sculpin. scrofa, - - gibbosa, - - - Mugil aibula, - ■■3 White Mullet Mullus barbatus, . w Red Mullet. Pirca fluviatilis, - - - Perch. labrax, - - Striped Basse. jBodianus leucos, - - Silver Perch. riifuB, - - . Red Perch. flaveacons, - . . Yellow Perch NOVA-SCOTIA, 115 Coitus gobio, — — quadricornua, - acorpius, - - - cataphractU8, - Scomber grex, - - - •— vernalis, cry SOB, - - - plurnbeus, - maculatus, - scomber, centronotus ductor, Xipbius gladius, - Osmeris epurlanus, Asterias rubeiu, • • - Sepia media. River Bullhead. Sea Bull. Sculpin. Armed Bullhead. Chubbed Mackarel. Spring Mackarel. Yellow MackareL Horse Mackarel. Spanish Mackarel. Common Mackarel. Pilot Pish. Sword Fish.* Capeling. Smelt Sunfish. Starfish. Squid. There is perhaps no branch of zoology so imper- fectly understood, as that which relates to fishes. Se- veral 'varieties of fish on the coasts of North America, have scarcely been noticed by naturalists ; and the habits and characters of others have not been disco" vered. It is not necessary for our present object to enter upon any enquiry of this kind ; but rather to no- tice such kinds of the finny tribes as are valuable for food or oil. Seal. — ^^Of the numerous kinds of seals, only two may be said to frequent our shores, and those scarcely appear in the latitude of New York. In the Gulph of St. Lawrence, on the coast of Newfoundland, Labra- dor, and other places further north, the kinds and especially the numbers, are greatly increased. The seal fishery at those places is therefore one of impor- tance. The common seal was much more numerous * There are doubtless more fishes than are here named. The author has only noticed such as he has seen. Their arrangement is that of Jerome Smith, M. D. .«!«■; & \ m 116 NOVA-aCOTXA. on the coasts of Nova-Scotia formerly than of late years. At present they are seldom captured. A hooded seal was taken a few years since in a dock belonging to John Wilson, Esq., at St. Andrews. When the French and English first began to frequent Canseau as a fishing station, walruses, or sea-cows, were numerous, and their teeth, which equal the ivory of the elephant, formed a valuable article of trade. When the ice-fields be- came closed, these animals would sometimes land and sport in the snow. A century ago they would land upon and cross Prince Edward's Island. Under such circumstances, they were attacked by bands of fisher- men with s^^ears, and great havoc was made among them, until they finally disappeared. At North Cape their bones are still found in the forest. The weight of a single walrus would sometimes exceed two tons. They are now said to be on the increase, although I saw only two walruses during my visit to all the island shores. Grampus, or Porpus. — Porpuses are supposed to pursue the herring, and are seen in droves, lifting and dipping their noses, not only over the whole Atlantic, but close in upon the shores. They are very valuable on account of their oil ; but no good plan to capture them has ever been discovered. Porpus fishing is therefore almost exclusively carried on by the native Indians, who display much patience and skill in this employment. Two of them enter a light bark canoe, and even when the waves are running high, they will paddle out several miles from the shore. The foremast man is ever ready with his gun, and as the nose of the porpus appears above the water, he fires. The man in the stern then paddles with all his might to reach the animal, for if quite killed, it sinks immediately. — N0VA-9C0TIA. 117 If the shot were successful the porpoise is carefully handed into one of the narrow ends of the canoe. As this animal only shews his head above water for an instant, the sportsman who shoots him has something to boast cf.* About 1500 gallons of porpus oil are annually collected at Digby Gut, by a party of Indians from Annapolis and Bear River. Whale. — Whales are seen in considerable numbers, especially in the Bay of Fundy; but they are very shy, and heretofore have baffled the skill of the most expert whalers. It is said they run ashore to die, and occasionally a whale is found stranded on the flats left dry at low water. Dogfish are sometimes very numerous in the sum- mer season ; they afford excellent oil, and their skins are used by cabinet-makers to polish furniture. Skate. — This disagreeable fish, with wings like a bat, is taken during the whole of the fishing season, but it is neither eaten nor cured. It annoys the fish- erman, by seizing the bait, and giving him the trouble to haul up and disgorge the hook. I am not aware that this fish has been salted or cured for food. Sturgeon. — Sturgeons enter the Annopolis and other rivers, and frequently injure nets. This fish, accounted by many on the banks of the Hudson and elsewhere a dainty, is seldom caught, or eaten in Nova- Scotia. Salmon. — In no part of the world are salmon to be * The author once accompanied an old Indian in quest of Porput, and although not a bad one among woodcock and snipe, he missed several shots at these animals. He finally handed the gun to the Micmac, who soon laid his game in the bottom of the canoe, stating very leisurely that *^ Porpus know Englishman, and when he see em he make bow very quick, and say bang away mister, porpus not all the same one turkey." L'i^M r 1 1:: i'^- 118 NOVA-flCOTIA. had of finer flavor than in Nova-Scotia. In May they begin to visit the rivers and ascend the principal streams to the lakes. But no sooner do they appear, than they are threatened with every kind of death. — Nets are spread at the river mouths to strangle them, or the salmon is brought from his element by the sweep seine. The native Micmac lights his torch, which at midnight renders the fish partially blind, and pursues him along the rippling river, with spear in hand ; while the followers of old Isaac Walton throw the deceitful fly upon the surface of the water, to al- lure him from his lurking place, and make him a prize. Gold river, in the county of Lunenburg, has been celebrated for the sport it affords the angler ; but it is inferior to Barrington river, which is now annually visited by gentlemen from the United States, who kill numbers of salmon during their season. The Gaspereau, Maccan, and River Philip offer similar, but inferior temptations, to those who are fond of this kind of amusement. The erection of dams for water mills, across the rives has proved almost fatal to the river fisheries, and the dust that falls from the saw mills is supposed to be injurious to salmon and alewives. In numerous in- stances free passages for the fish might have been opened, or the water directed over inclined planes, by which they could ascend to the lakes to deposit their ova : of late this precaution it better observed ; but the passages for fish in many streams are obstruct- ed altogether. Salmon Trout, and common trout are generally abundant in all the lakes and streams, and may be taken at almost every season of the year. In moder- ate days in winter, holes are cut in the ice, and they KOVA-SCOTIA. 119 ore drawn out ia considerable numbers. Fine trout are sold in the Halifax market during the coldest wea- ther, and from being frozen, they rattle like bundles of sticks. ToouE, or Salmo H^mco— Common in the large lakes of New Brunswick, and Canada, have only been obsei'ved in lake Rosignol in the coanty of Liverpool. Menhaden. — This fish, which resembles a young shad, is sometimes taken in netfi and wares. It is quite palatable ; but in general lean. I have seen large shoals of this fish close in upon the rocks of the shores in calm weather. Shad. — This is one of the finest fishes the country affords, and is often taken in great quantities. I have remarked that on muddy bottoms they are fat, and to the contrary in gravelly rivers and estuaries they are lean. The shad taken in St. Mary's Bay, and the rivers of Minas and Chignecto Bays are remarkably fine,' while those taken at St. John and along the Atlantic seaboard, are meagre. At the former places^ either fresh or salted, they vie with salmon, and always command a high price. They usually appear by the middle of June, and continue till the latter part of August. The fish- ermen suppose that there are two varieties of the shad, the "blue backs" and the "round heads." They are frequently accompanied by the menhaden. Herring.* — Although only one kind of herring has been described, there are probably three or lour varie- ties of this valuable fish upon the coasts of the pro- vince. Early in the spring, a fat herring, 15 inches in length, is taken on the shores of the Bay of Fundy and around the coasts | but after it has spawned it gets * From the German Herr, ui ^Jitny. , 4-.' .r-' ^M wr 120 rrovA-icoTiA. m- ■U*l:'' ¥K '";t, W^'i .,(;.. lean. A smaller kind soon arrives, and continues through the summer. In the autumn the spring visi- tants reappear in fine condition. The herring taken in the rivers of Ccrnwallis duri"^" the summer are mu ?h smaller ; but very palatable. I'his is the variety that enters Digby Strait and Annu^,j»is Basin, where they are taken abundantly in wares, and supply the well known article of export called Digby herring, or "Digby chickens." A large herring taken at Grand Manan resembles the Labrador herring. Changes in the appearance and quality of the fish are observed on all the shores, and their value depends much upon the season in which they are taken. The herring ia aaid to be the poor man's fish ; they are abundant and readily taken. They arc a valuable article of ex- port, and the best kinds of them, when properly cured, are not inferior to mackerel or shad. The number of eggs in the roe of a herring is 36,960.* Alewives, Gasperigau, or Kiacks or the Indians. Alewives are very numerous in a number of the rivers from the 20th of May to the 25th of June, about the latter period they begin to return from the inland lakes to the sea, and having spawned, they become very meagre. Like the shad, their qualities are much af- fected by the nature of the rivers where they feed. — The finest alewives are caught in the Gaspereau river of Kings County. They are taken in a variety of ways, and when they are properly salted, or smoked, they are a rich and very palatable fish. The harbour and river of Barrington alone have yielded 2,000 bar- rels of alewives in a single season ; they are taken at the mouth of the latter by hand, or scoop-nets, and sometimes a hundred men, among whom is a sprink- * Philoiophic&l Transactions. V Hi M NOVA-SCOTIA. 121 ling of Indians, arc engugcd in taking tlie " kiucks" from tlie stream. The gaspereaii taken in the rivers of the Bay of Fundy, and its terminating basins, are chiefly used for local consumption. Common (Jod. — This valuable fish, which has long been a staple article of commerce, may be taken on all the banks, coasts, bays, and deep inlets of the pro- vinc ; and in greater or less quantities at all seasons of the year. Small cargoes of frozen codfish arc seen during the winter in the market of St. John. They arc taken near Grand Manan. They are most nume- rous in waters from ten to forty lathoms deep ; yet in the spring season they pursue the herring into shallow water, and eyen in the depth of winter they are taken upon hooks set upon the shore. During the summer they are most numerous upon the banks, although some of them always remain to feed close in upon the land. The roe of a single cod is capable of producing 3,686,760 fish. The Bay of Fundy was an excellent cod fishery un- til it was intruded upon by foreigners, who throw their offal overboard, greatly to the injury of the finny tribes. Daring the last ten years there has not been a fishing establishment of any consequence upon its borders, and a few boats only are employed by farmers, who catch for their own domestic uses. Nine-tenths of all the fish consumed in the surrounding counties are brought from St. John and Halifax. Still the Ameri- cans fish in the bay with success. During the past season codfish have been more than usually plenty, and should the fishery be protected, it bids fair to be profitable. The shore cod fisheries along the Atlantic coast, Canscau, and the Gulph of St. Lawrence, have also declined, from causes already adverted to, and #- i» 122 NOVA-SCOTM. 'li ■,'^l!! I ' i.\i > ■. ' \l^ their success will in lutiiro (lo)x3i)d upon thu protection against the oncronchtnents of the Americans. The most profitable fishing for cod, at present, is on the banks and shoals, and in deep sea. Rock and Shual Cod. — Those variotics frequent the rocks and shoals. The former is fond of fields of sea weeds where it feeds upon crabs and other Crus- tacea. Both kinds are commonly pickled. Hake are generally taken with codfish, and occa- sionally in considerable numbers. Tom Cod and Frost Fish inhabit the rivers to the extremity of the tide flow, and like the trout, they are valuable to immigrants and now settlers- CusK. — This very delicious fish is taken in the coldest weather of winter, chiefly upon aet-hooks. Haddock. — Haddock are more numerous than they were in former years. As soon as the run of codfish has passed, they are frequently plenty. The had- dock of the Bay of Fundy are inferior to those of the Bay Chaleur. Pollock. — This strong and active fish frequents the rapid tide waters and eddies, in shoals, where it feeds upon the small fry, and shrimps. It is taken in con- siderable numbers, and when dried, is sold with had- dock and hake, as scale fish. Flounders, or flat-fish, as they are called, are very numerous in almost all the river mouths and estuaries. They are readily taken with hooks, and by many considered very delicious food. Halibut. — The halibut attains an enormous size in the Bay of Fundy, where several have been taken weighing half a ton each, and upwards. They have favourite places of resort, but are generally taken with cod and haddock. They are sometimes very vexa- NOWSCOTIA. 12H nous to the fishermen, seizing ail tiieir bans, cntani;- Inig their hncs, and thereby creating unprofitable de- lays, when cod are plenty. The flesh is sometimes salted, and the fins, when properly smoked, are as ricli us bacon. Like the cod, they are very voracious.* Common Ekl. — Eels also are generally plenty in many of the rivers, and they are sometimes taken and salted for winter consumption. They are speared at all seasons of the year by the Micmacs, who in tim«s of scarcity find them a relief to their necessities. Basse. — This excellent fish is taken during the summer season, and is frequently found in the herring and shad wares, or caught in the sweep seines. It is generally eaten while fresh, and seldom salted for ex- portation. Mackerel — Of all the varieties of mackerel, it is only necessary to notice the common kind : and there are doubts whether the spring and fall mackerel arc not the same, changed in their appearance by their food and the temperature of the ocean. No sea has ever been found that has not some variety of the scomberoidcB. The elegance of its form, beauty of colors, and value for food, are almost unrivalled. The mackerel is gregarious, but evidently not migratory. During the winter season he retreats to the deep waters, or those warmed by the Gulph stream ; but when the salmon begin to ascend the rivers, and other fish to * Five lines, with their leads and hooka attached, were carried away from the crew of a fishing boat at Cape Blowmidon, a few yeard ago. The day afler this occurrence, the same crew hooked a large halibut near Cape D'Or, thirty miles farther down tl:e bay. The halibut had all the hooks and leads hanging to his jaws they had lost the day before. A jackknife and a pair of silver sleeve buttons, were taken from the maw of a codfish, at Black Rock, that had dropped overboard from the pocket of a fisherman, 30 milee from that place, two days previous. Many similar instances of this kind are upon record. It 1 I 124 NOVA-SCOTIA. b! I i I .!»• : . m ■■ > I approach the shores, he seeks the shallow waters in quest of food. Mackerel are sometimes taken early in the spring and during the summer. They are seen upon the coasts and in the bays, in immense shoals. — It is not until sometime after the spawning season, and the latter part of September, that they become fat. The August mackerel are inferior, and the later in the autumn they arc caught, the greater is their va- lue. They sometimes rush into the harbours in great shoals, and are swept from the ocean by seines. — They usually pay Halifax an annual visit, and are cap- tured off the wharves by angling. Oft* Prince Edward's Island, in August, 1816, I saw numerous shoals of mackerel, some of which were se- veral miles in extent. They were so abundant that some of the American vessels obtained their cargoes in two days. They are also plenty along the whole Atlantic side of the pKivince, around Cape Breton, at Canseau, and in the Bay of Fundy. The best catches are usually made in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, off the shores of Cape Breton, and the above island, and especially at Canseau, where the quantity of fish has been so great at times as to obstruct navigation. The mackerel spawns in the warmest part of the season. The spawn is soon hatched, and in the space of two months fhe young fry are said to grow to the length of four inches. They are wonderfully prolific, a single roe producing half a million ; it is therefore not surprising that they are so numerous. It is only remarkable that so few of them are taken by our fish- ermen. Capelino. — This small fish may be taken in great numbers on the shores of the Gulph. It is chiefly emplovc'd for bait. NOVA-SCOTIA. 125 Smelt. — This pretty little fish, which closely re- sembles the capeling, may be taken at many places during the winter. It is the first spring visitor to the rivers, and affords a delicious treat to many of the in- habitants. Both the capeling and the smelt are taken in great numbers on the northern side of New Bruns- wick, where they arc applied to the soil for manure. The practice of manuring land with fish is certainly reprehensible. The SquiD, abundant and very valuable for bait in Newfoundland, is rare in the Bay of Fundy. In this brief account of the fishes, only such have been noticed as form a part of the resources of the pro- vince. Of the shellfish and Crustacea, there are seve- ral kinds employed for food. They are lobsters, oys- ters, clams, cockles, razor-fish, pectens or scallops, and shrimps. A large mytilus, or muscle, is used for cod- fish bait. The system of fishing must necessarily vary in dif- ferent countries and situations. The various arts em- ployed by the Americans, and the inhabitants of Nova- Scotia, do not always correspond with those practised in Great Britain. In Nova-Scotia success is anticipated from the abundance of fish, rather than from the skill of the fishermen. The modes of fishing also vary in different parts of the province. In the Bay of Fundy and its terminating basins, where the tides rise from forty to seventy feet, a system is pursued different from that practiced at other places, where the sea at- tains less periodical elevation. The shore fishery is almost exclusively vi the hands of farmers, or persons whose chief dependancc is upon the productions of the soil and forest. Fishing is not a distinct employment, and the whole quantity of fish taken is insufficient for »*>! it.:ii..„. 126 NOVA-SCOTIA. hi'i ■' < M!IS'. .' ff!'-i mm\ ? : the local supply. The vessels engaged in this em- ployment, that enter the bay, are almost all owned at Deer Island, and other islands in Passamaquoddy Bay ; or they are American bottoms, from the United States. As soon as the ice disappears in the spring, the herring strike iii, and a few are taken in shore nets. The usual mode is to drive down piles, or stakes, into the beach, and form semicircular enclosures, by interlacing them with small brushwood. This erection, called a ware, is covered by the tide at high water. Wheo the tide recedes, the fish are left impounded and dry. The most favorable time for a catch of herring is when the tide is withdrawn in the evening. These wares are frequently broken down by gales of wind ; by substituting a net, which may be disengaged from the stakes at pleasure, this inconvenience may be reme- died. Nets are frequently used in this way at St. John, and with great success in the catching of ale- wives and herring. The fishing farmer is seldom or never prepared either with salt or casks, and it frequently happens that after watching night after night, he is suddenly surprised by an immense " haul" of fish. In some wares twenty or thirty cart-loads, as they are called, are sometimes thus captured, and all neighbours around drive their carts into the ware, at low water, and obtain a temporary supply. More fre- quently, hundreds of barrels of herring are left to be washed away, or they are lost for the want of salt. Cod, haddock, and pollock are sometime capturec' in these cheap and rude enclosures, where bait is usually obtained by the cod fishermen. Thousands of barrels of the finest herring are thus annually lost. They soon become putrid, and evidently injure the fisheries. Shad are also taken in similar ware^, erected at the NOVA-SCOTIA. 127 1 em- ed at Bay; > tales. erring The to the •lacing called WheD id dry. s when wares id; by •cm the J reme- at St. of ale- seldom and it Iht after " haul" loads, as and all are, at ore fre- ift to be of salt. Iturer iii usually ►f barrels They isheries. id at the mouths of the muddy rivers and creeks, in June and July ; with them fire frequently found salmon, basse, herrings, sharks, dogfish, and other fish of prey. At Five Islands in Minas Basin, there is a natural ware formed in a circular basin of the rock. A thousand cod, besides other kind of fish, have been imprisoned during a single tide in this extraordinary pond, and carted thence by the inhabitants at low water. At Scots' Bay an immense seine is employed, and a thousand barrels of shad are taken annually. At the Habitant river in Cornwallis a seine is stretched across the stream at low water, and sprung at high water, at once cutting off the retreat of all the fish above ; from 1000 to 10,000 shad arc sometimes taken at a single " spring." 100 dressed shad fill a barrel. From this destructive system of the females in the spawning season, the fishery is on the decline. They are also taken in wares and seines at the mouth of the Corn- wallis rivei. In the Shubenacadie and the Avon, and the rivers of Cumberland, drift, or gill nets ire used, 2000 barrels of shad are taken annually by drift- ing in the rapid tides of the Peticodiac. Of late, large nets have been trailed in Minas Basin, and with good success. This practice is much complained of by the river fishermen. Basse and flounders are sometimes caught with baited hooks. Gill nets are Ret for sal- mon, and they are speared at night by the Indians. Gaspereau are secured by scoops or squa'e nets at- tached to long levers. The scoop is also employed for smelts. In every branch of this kmd of employment, im- providence, negligence, wastefulness, and lack of pre- paration, are always manifest. The herring fishery of the Bay of Fundy is capable of supplying the in- / 128 NOVA-SCOTIA. m iv, ijU; m ri'.i I.abitaiits, and of affordmg a staple article of export ; yet the persons who are actually engaged in it, and who capture thousands of barrels during the spring, are almost the first to apply to tlie country dealer dur- ing the winter, for a supply of the very article they had failed to secure, when Providence had laid it at their doors. Of the exceptions to this remark, one should be made in favor of Bass Creek, in Cornwallis, where a few individuals, besides supplying the coun- try around with fresh herring, pickle and smoke them for the Halifax market. Shallops from the eastern States, and the western ports of New Brunswick, well equipped, will frequent- ly ascend the bay, purchase a few " hauls" of a ware, and with their nets and lines collect a cargo of her- ring and cod in the space of a few days. The lack of success by the inhabitants, has been ascribed to their varied employments, of fishing, farming, and lumbering, as they are combined by the shore settler. Bui in a new and thinly populated country, where there are few individuals of any capital, and the relief of immediate want is paramount to every other consi- deration, there is no remedy for practices rendered unprofitable by necessity. It is maintained by the steady farmer, that these fisheries are of no value to the country, and a stranger, were he to judge by the comforts enjoyed by the shoreman, would be led to the same conclusion. At certain periods in the spring and early part of summer, cod, haddock, pollock, and halibut, are also abundant in the bay ; at many places boats may be loaded two or three times a day, yet upon the whole cf the shores, there is not one complete fishing esta- blishment, and the fishing of the bay is enjoyed by the ( • NOVA-SCOTIA. 129 jtport ; tj and spring, er dur- j they i it at k, one iwallis, coun- e them western :equent- a ware, of her- he lack ribed to ing, and 5 settler. where he reUef er consi- rendered by the value to by the )e led to y part of are also may be le whole ing csta- ed by the Americans. Of the shoals of mackerel that appear in the summer and autumn, few are taken, except at Grand Manan, around which island the craft of the United States are constantly hovering during the whole of the fishing season. Why are not those ma- rine resources improved by the inhabitants of Nova- Scotia? How is it that they are made profitable to foreigners, while they are almost valueless to the peo- ple who live upon their borders ? These queries have already been replied to. When fishing and agriculture are followed conjointly, they have both proved unpro- fitable. All the energies of the American fishermen are devoted to his business, and he is stimulated by a high bounty. The shoreman of the bay views the treasures of its waters as something to be applied to only in time of need, for which he is unprepared. There cannot be any doubt of the success that would- attend the establishment of fishing stations at different places on these shores. No single station would require any great outlay of capital. Three or four good boats, and two shallops, with twelve men, two of whom should be coopers, and a good supply of salt, casks, and tackle, might at first be employed. — In April wares may be put down for herring. In May set nets and sweep seines may be used, and the boats sent out on every slack tide. The shallops may visit the deeper waters, in summer make trips to the outer banks ; and in the autumn follow the mack- erel. In the winter, and after the produce of the season has been secured, the men may be occupied in procuring staves, making barrels, collecting materials for wares, &c. ; therein furnishing constant employ- ment. Thus the marine resources now taken away by ■ .^4£j 'Mi' r , ii3i- * 1% ' :i\ L ! 130 NOVA-SCOTIA. foreigners, might be improved and rendered subservient to the wants and general improvement of the country. ' The Annapolis and Digby Basins are celebrated for the abundance and excellent quality of their herring. Prom 1783 to 1820, the annual export of herring from those places was upwards of 80,000 boxes. — Since the latter period the fish have been less numer- ous although they still form an important export. The first run, which commences in April, are in ge- neral lean. They are usually taken in nets and sold fresh or pickled. They are succeeded by a smaller variety which are taken in wares upon the shores and islands. Having been thrown into pickle as soon as possible after they have been taken, they are smoked in houses built for the purpose, and finally packed in boxes containing about half a bushel each. The price of a box is from 2s. 6d, to As, each^ A young fry comes in during the summer, when the wares are opened for their escape. The herring sometimes con- tinue until the approach of winter, and it is slated by Mr. Haliburton, that in 1796, 200 barrels were frozen into a dense mass in one of the wares. This fishery has not declined so rapidly as might have been ex- pected, and under proper regulations it may be pre- served for a long period to come. It has been sup- posed by some, that the porpoise shooting practiced by the Indians at Digby Gut, injures this valuable fishery. From a series of observations made on the coast of Scotland, it does appear that the presence of steam, or othei vessels, or even the discharge of cannon, pre- vents herring from returning to their haunts. Their occasional scarcity may more justly be ascribed to their wandering and capricious habits, the destruction of their ov a and other causes. NOVA-SCOTIA. 131 jrvient >untry. ted for erring, herring 3X69. — niimer- rt. re in ge- nd sold smaller Dres and soon as smoked icked in 1. The A young vares are mes con- slated by re frozen ,8 fishery Ibeen ex- be pre- »een sup- Lcticed by |le fishery, coast of steam, or mon, pre- is. Their [cribod to iestruction Salmon are scooped out of Allen's River, Bear River, and other streams falling into the basins. — Smelts are also numerous in their season. Few im- provements perhaps remain to be made in the system of fishing at these places. The most desirable object is to prevent the fishery from falling oflf by improper practices. A number of vessels belonging to Digby are annually employed in the mackerel fishery. The method of capturing porpus at the Strait has been al- ready noticed. Grand and Petite [Passages have long been good fishing establishments. During the spring the shores abound in the larger variety of herring ; and the ofiing with cod, pollock, and haddock. The former passage affords a fine harbour. The fishery of Bear Island supports a considerable population, and has heretofore maintained a regular trade with the West India Islands. Cod, cusk, and other fish are obtained at every season of the year. At the head of St. Mary's Bay, the water becomes shallow and muddy, finally terminating in an extensive marsh. This is a favorite resort of shad, which are taken in the usual manner : they are supe- rior in quality. The fishery of the Sissiboo River has fallen off latterly ; still the finny tribes frequent the whole shore, and in sufiSicient numbers to supply the inhabitants, and a surplus for exportation. These remarks will also apply to the coves and inlets between Cape St. Mary's and Yarmouth. The situation of Yarmouth is peculiarly favorable for the cod and mackerel fisheries, as well as for foreign trade ; and the surrounding country has latterly dis- played its agricultural capabilities. The result has been general improvement, and the rapid growth of a commercial town. Nor have the maratime resources I . ; I- 1? jji: f i I ii 132 NOVA-SCOTIA. f)f the country been altogether neglected, as w Jl appear by its exports. Bi!t the operations of the bounty upon American vessels, give the citizens of the United States a great advantage over the unaided enterprize of Nova-Scotia. From Yarmouth, following the direction of the coast, to Cape Sable and Barrington, the shore is in- dented by a number of estuaries and rivers, and stud- ded with islands, of which the Tuskets alone are said to exceed three hundred in number. All the rivers terminate "'\ lakes, to which the salmon and alewives ascend to w. The coast meets the Sea with a low border . T mai ^ and the sea bottom is most favo- rable to the production of the tnolusks, Crustacea and other animals upon which the larger fish subsist. I observed upon these shores that small Crustacea and marine insects were extremely numerous ; and in Ji^.ne the waters teem with the young fry of different finny races. The rivers abound in trout, and are frequented by salmon and alewives, The principal harbours are Jebogue, Tusket, Abup- tic, Pubnico, and Ooquequit. The islands also afford safe and commodious anchorage. The inhabitants of the Acadian settlements at Eel Brook and Pubnico, and those of British extraction, secure great numbers of alewives and herrings. Boats and small vessels are also sent out for cod and mackerel. Eel Brook has always been remarkable for its eels, upon which the Acadians and Indians subsisted in the early settlement of the country. It would be difficult to estimate the quantity of fish taken upon these shores, for more or less of the catch is reserved for the use of every fami- ly. Although, perhaps, well adapted to meet the local demand, the whole system of fishing is imperfect, and rl >i ! NOVA-SCOTIA. 133 is almost in every instance combined with farming and other pursuits. Harrington was originally settled by about eighty families from Cape Cod, who deemed the port a favo- rable situation whence to prosecute the whale fishery. They were, however, disappointed, and returned to Massachusetts. Afterwards new settlements gradually sprung up, on account of the cod fishery. At one time the whole population was engaged in fishing, and the annual catch exceeded 22,000 quintals, besides pickled fish. There are upwards of fifty vessels now engaged in the deep sea fisheries, and a fieet of boats is employed on the shores. The different varieties of fish are abundant. 2,000 barrels of alewives are an- nually salted at the mouth of the river, where they sus taken in scoop-nets. Shoals of herring also frequent ''le outer shores. The rivers of Shelburne, and Liverpool counties also abound in these fish, and with them th ; LeHave affords codfish, sturgeon, halibut, and ^had. The fishmarket of Halifax is unrivalled, and affords its dainties in the severest cold of winter, besides send- ing supplies to New York and Boston by the Atlantic steamers, and the American packets. Frozen fish are also shipped from other ports. Salmon are purchased at Medway, LaHave, and Gold rivers, and being packed in ice, are sent to the United States, where they command high prices. It will be unnecessary to enter upon any very detailed account of the fisheries along the Atlantic side of Nova-Scotia. From the description of the coast already given, it will be seen that the great number of harbours, bays, and rivers, that indent the shore, afford all the shelter and accommodation that could be desired. The same indents that render the r Ci TvhJ*r«f i 134 NOVA-SCOTIA. /jJI-.''' 'lit proiecution of the fisheries safe aiid easy, offer to the finny tribes most extensive fields for feeding, and pro- per sites for the vivification of their ova. Early in April the herring and other gregarious tribes rush in from the Atlantic towards the shores in dense shoalu. Cod, haddock, and pollock, follow them, and feed upon the fianks of the advancing armies. Dogfish, sharks, and other fish of prey, also prowl around the coming legions. It is not till the harmless tribes en- ter the smaller estuaries and rivers that they obtain respite from their voracious enemies. In June the salmon and alewives ascend the streams, leaping from fall to fall, until they gain their interior ^retreats. During the whole season the fish used for food are assailed in front by every device that man can invent for their capture, and their rear is attacked by the hungry tribes^ of the deep ; but to withstand this threatened annihilation Providence has provided them with wonderful powers of procreation, and were the shores and rivers left free from the impediments that check their spawning, their numbers would remain undiminished. The mackerel also scarcely wait until the sea is warraed by summer heat ,* but sport in millions at the ocean's surface. Fattened by the exuvioe of the shores, in autumn this beautiful fish offers to fill up the stores of food required by the poor. Nature's last bounty of the season is the best. Even during the coldest days of winter, the shoreman can dine upon some cheap luxury taken from the water. The re- gular order in which kind succeeds kind, at almost every period of the year, displays in terms that cannot be misunderstood the beauty and harmony of nature's ■,«in ' HOVA-ICOTIA. 135 laws, and above all the bounty of a beneficent creator in providing for the wants of man. In no part of the world, are the fish used for food so varied in kind, and abundant in quantity, as on the coasts and among the islands between the Bay of Fundy and the coast of Labrador. This range efm- braccs their favourite latitudes, and it is probable that the Gulph stream which runs along this part of the American continent, and to which the great Banks of Newfoundland owe their origin, is adapted to their habits, and by raising the temperature of the sea, af- fords them proper retreats after their season of spawn- ing is over. The doctrine of the migration of fishes is now exploded. Those submarine fields and the banks stretched along the northern border of the Mex- ican stream, are the great victualling offices of the world, and they have long been objects of contention between different nations. Of all these vast resources, all that is claimed by Nova-Scotia belongs to her terri- tory, and her inhabitants only seek their national rights. By the custom house returns for the commercial towns of Barrington, Shelburne, Liverpool, Lunen- burg, and Halifax, the imports and exports of fish are correctly arrived at: but these chiefly relate to the surplus produce. The whole quantity taken cannot be ascertained without taking a census of the fishing population, and the quantity consumed by each fami- ly. The intermediate shores between those towns, and between Halifax and Canseau, are but thinly po- pulated. Long lines of coasts and bays are still unin- habited. The fisheries of this part of the province would support a population ten times greater than the present ; and the exports of a staple article of com- i3e NOVA-SCOTIA. Ill 'I w;s merce miglit be increased five fold. Tlie soil, gene* rally rocky and forbidding, will not afford bread ; but it will supply the vegetables required by the fisher- man. I have observed that the fisheries are prosecu- ted more advantageously upon those partially barren shores, than in more fertile districts : a proof that fish- ing and farming combined are not profitable. This will ever be the condition of those employments in Nova-Scotia, where the proper season for planting is that in which the inhabitants of the sea are most abundant. It has often been inquired why are not these fishe- ries more productive ? Why so little advancement in the condition of the people engaged in them, so great a lack of bread, and often the ordinary comforts of hum- ble life, among a people who have the elements of wealth and independence within their reach. Again we must advert to the general state of the province, and again to the bounties given by foreigners to their citizens, who fish upon these coasts, and the operations of which are shackles to our industry, drawing away from us our hardy and well-trained shoremen, who, were they retained, would fill our navy with ac- tive seamen. The ordinary means are employed for taking salmon and alewives ; herring are secured in nets, and occa- sionally by sweep seines, which sometimes land im- mense "hauls." The tides are not sufficiently ele- vated for the use of wares. The cod fishery is pur- sued in boats near the shores, and in small craft on the banks. So abundant are the fish, that the lading of 10,000 vessels at certain periods would produce lit- tle apparent diminution in their numbers. NOVA-HCOTIA. 137 It may be suiil on llie ))ai-t ni the Proviiicial tislicr> riieii, that thuie is no lauk ol' intrepidity and endur- ance wliile they are engaged in tht-ir oniployujont. ll' there be any defects in their habits they will be seen in their inability to find constant employment, and a reckless extravagance when their lab(>rs arc success- ful. Many of ^'ic vessels are badly Hlted out ; their bo«»s also are not always in gooil order, and their fishing gear is fre([uently scanty and im|)t;rl"ect. The establishment of well supplied stations would remedy some of those evils, and n bounty on their labors would materially improve their habits — greatly add to the catcli, and in its ultimate cirect^ increase the re- venue of the Province. More than ordinary notice may be taken of Cheda- bucto Bay, Canseau, and the adjacent waters. The harbors of this valuable part of the Province have already been described, and their fisheries exceed any in the world. Formerly there were great contentions among the inhabitants of this quarter respecting the rights of fishery. These difficulties have in some de- gree subsided ; still it is not uncommon, when a large haul has been made by a sweep, for persons who have no share in a seine, to rush into the water amidst the general confusion, and carry olf from the catch as fast as possible. The great abundance of fish is the only preventive of very serious riots. A further introduc- tion of judicious regulations would be to the interest of all concerned. Herring arrive early, and continue during the sum- mer and autumn. They are of an excellent quality at all seasons. Cod, pollock haddock, &c., are caught early in the b ason close to the shores, and even in Milfoid Haven, the beautiful basin of Guysboro': but i ^2)- 1 ;:i,,||j ii' ' ill ml t i '! 1 Ii ,«• '. 138 NOVA-SCOTIA. the shoals of mackaiel exceed any tiling of the \ y^^ r 1^'. * ,-■*• ' » ■f . 4 t- U2 N0VA-8t;0TM. 1 \ ''Vi-'.r --'■fit''!,' 9 Ml* iii^i' e c «i I ill! 1 If; i Si o! ft ^ "■ a at r^s :i*oi a(ra •— <;i.>-» o •■:> i — • <^ *>? -t o ID !« o VI ■^ "^ ~ 3 c' t» y:^ o O 'B '^^ • p-g r: o o o o o o o &-< o o o ►2 C C Tl s> en a 3 73 £ « 3 «' 9 c 3 ■I (t O 3 w o o o 3 O »4 9 o ?t £!,•<»« to 2 '' e 2 3 =5 ta- TO O" O o o •-< pi « o 3 OJ M CX3 > w 3 2 UI . f?( I n I- a. iv a CO 3 2 if' , ,ss. •ji i **^ ;iu i *^^ 1 b W 1 -^ I ri ? ■M ?« •n «« '* , Q it "* <* i 2 1 ft- tut. i 3 1 a<) 1 w >^ •• N0VA-8(OTIA. r; -I AXOOJF. RXvo]?Tr.i; i.^/Mcape hjieton duiunu , luii ViiAlt ENi^EU (Vm JANIIAUV, 1840. 18'i<3 Dry ribli Picklcii F!Ou Hbh Oil. c ?n W>l .•3 W4 ^ u ri ti r^ •/3 »'"l rt rf 3 «J '^ (^ »idrs the jigs, tliere are hooks attached to the cuds t»f small iron 144 WOVA'SCOTIV. i! t 8 rods, and thcso to long light poles, or handles. As soow as the rnackarel rise, every man exerts liiinselC to the utmost, with the hooka, or jigs, accordiiii^ to cir- cumstances. So long as they Ictep up, tlioy arc ra- pidly secured. In. tliis way a mau will take a barrel in au hoar. The fishing will sometimes last twelve hours and longer, without any intermission. The mackarel frequently retreat as suddenly as tliey ap- peared, when the fishermen iimncdiately cornmence cleansing and preserving ihe catch. 1 was once a pasHcnger in an Anicricon " mackarel- maa" from Eastport to Grand Manan., and saw the above method successfully practised. In the space of an hour the deck, cabin ilooTf and every jiart of the vessel was occupied by dead and Hvini,; fish ; and as the captain discovered afterwards two or three of the " tarnal critters" had found their way jnto liis bed — another wais in the Jlour barrel, and others Ijad brush- ed some of die "tea things" from the slielvcs of the cook's cupboard. The siie of a shoal of mackarel is iVequently known by huge thylufi of sea birds that hang over it. Vessels are fitted out for tlie rnacki rel fishery from almost every port in the Province. They generally start from the iSrst of Juiy to the first of August ; the latest returns arc in the latter part of November, and some of them make two and even three trips durmg the season. The Americans advance their fleets earlier ; they are always prepared to take any kind of tish, ai'd vessels destined for the cod baid;s sometimes n urn iarlcn with mackarel, or a mixed carj^o. The FroViiiciai /essels are from 30 to 60 tons bmthen, and they u.Sw>aUv complete a voyage in six v/eeks. They are generally fitted out on shares, and every man ha., an interest in the catch. N0VA-8C0TIA. U^ The number of vessels thus employed, ahd tlie quantity of fisli taken, can only be inferred from the Custom House returns. It is to be regretted, that of this important branch of industry, with others, there is so great a lack of statistical information. Prom the success that usually attends this pursuit, many are surprised tfiat it is not more eagerly followed ; but the bounty given to American adventurers draws away a part of our sea-going population, from which arises a want of ! lands to secure the resources that surround the peninsula of Nova Scotia. Another, and perhaps the most important division of the maritime wealth ot this country consists in the bank, or deep sea cod fisheries. Stretched along the Atlantic side of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, and Newfoundland, there are numerous tracts of shallow sea, or submarine fields, where the water varies from 16 to GO fathoms in depth. The bottoms are chiefly sand, shingle, and shells, which some have .'Supposed to rest upon the summits of sub^ marine mountains. As these tracts arc annually rising and extending in all directions, and a vatiety of other facts confirm the opinion, I have been led to believe that they have been raised by the Qulph stream — that mighty current that sweeps along the whole coast, and is finally lost in the central Atlantic. The Isle of Sable — a dangerous shoal to mariners — has been thrown up above the sea surface by the waves and currents. The Gulph of St. Lawrence also has its banks, some of which have evidently had their origin in tlie outward current of the;, Tcat Canadian stream — • the outlet of vast interior lakes. * '"^^ The Great Bank of Newfoundland is 600 miles in length and 200 miles wide. The principal western 146 NOVA-BCOliA. shoals are Rus's, Whale, Green, Peters, and French banks. Off Nova Scotia there are Sable, Neare, Cape Sable, St. George's, and Dogger Banks. It hub beeri supposed that the ocean covering these vast submarine fields contains as much food for man as an equal ex- tent of dry land under cultivation. For several cen- turies the nations of Europe have labored iridefatiga- bly "vvitli nets and lines, and every other invention thai can be contrived or imagined, and yet not the slight- est diminution of fruitfulness has been observed.* The cod fisheries of the Banks of Newfoundland are almost exclusively in the possession of the French and Americans, whose vessels anchor in fleets upon the best grounds, and obtain their cargoes without mo- lestation. Of late the number of '-bankers" from St. John and other ports in Newfoundland, lias been greatly diminished, and a vessel from Nova Scotia or New Brunswick is seldom engaged in those waters. The crews of the few that reach them are insulted, and by superior numbers driven away. It is believed that the French have greatly injured the inshore fish- eries, by setting bultov/s. These are hawsers of moderate size^ to which short lines, with hooks, are t' ttached two or three feet apart. The hooks are care- fully baited, and the hawser is anchored with buoys in such a manner that it is stretched along the bottom. The hawser is drawn up once or twice every twenty- four hours, and after the bad of fish is removed, and the hooks rebaitcd, it is returned to the bottom of the sea. Some of the largest French vessels carry 10.000 fathoms of bultow line^; by these lines they obtain their cargoes, insiead r^f the ''hook and line,'' to wliich they are restricted by the treaty. The few "* IJritiih Aiucrica, by Hugh McGregor, Ksq. ,> • » El N0VA-8CQTIA. U7 Culonial' vessels that frequent the banks of Nova Sco- tia aro generally successful in their catches, but, they can never compete with for.eignera who are supported by bounties. There were engaged in the Newfoundland fishery — \n 1578— No. of British vessels, 15. Spanish " PorUiguese, 100. 50. French " 150> From 1705 to 1774 the French had 262 vessels. 1511 boats, U,- 953 men, catqh 3G,505 quintals of dry fish, 3,807 hogs- heads of oil. In 1775 France employed 5G4 ships, 27,.'>20 men — the catch was. 1,149,000 quintals dry fish, 12,4(j5 hogsiieads ui oil. Total value, £981,«)92t annually. From 1820 to 1827 France bad 214 vessels, 7,333 men. In 1826 the whole coil fishery of the French employed 350 shipn, 40,016 tons, and 10,199 seamen. in 1829, 400 ships from 100 to 400 tons burthen, 90 uf these were employed off Icelnnd.:^ In 1829 the Americans employed in these fisheries 1500 vessels, 15,000 men— catch 1,000,000 quintals, 3,000 tuns oil. In 1831 the produce of tbe fisheries exported from the United States was in value £425,128 sterling. In 1832 the number of American vessels was 1800. In L847 the French catch was ],000,OOQ quintals— -the bounties. £125,000— number of nq^n 25,000, Id 1847 the Americans employed 2,000 vessels— boupty 20s. per ton— 37,500 men— catch 1^00,000 (juintals. In 1847 the British fisheries on the coast (not on the Banks) of Newfoundland, employed 25,000 men— c.atch 1,000,000, quintals.^ * Scyhcrt and Pitkins' Btatifltios. t MacphcrBon. J Bliss' Htatistics. i) Morrw' Ninvfoundland. I »» * 0. 0U «, , ,1 148 NOVA-SCOTIA. (A Si o I g o o ++ > > 1 1 t 1 ;; M Hrt ta« H s* K 2 2 r^ sS a » • m J* M CC s • <; 1 i ? ^ a • M ec o £ S o O s • k« e a B • Kl *f ^rf ►"• P wi CJ IC •J VI h' c (H -1 • 1-4 o SO IM •9 sr * g •-• a. 9 -fl e* M CO no w *> 09 B" o o oo -1 o 2 *tl i i 85 to JS 5' a. •^ ■> § ^ CI CO o sr -1 o •'C■^ 05 M § o s o o -I c! ■1 « ST r a. t^ ff 1 t_>. 1 (r O n t tt • p Ol e ST -»• m 'Z S? (^ e t« B 0] "k sr >r ++ •1 * a ■ N0VA-8C0TIA. 14Q 00 4 8 I e O I I 3 bSuiJiftfj peijoaig tozon O in "i««n ■lajjng OB JO « e •pjjnqj|HH •|dJj«Q «1!>I •P^i'LL d 8 •|9JjQqj|iiH I ■laiJBqjinn 8|0jjsg •siBjuin'^ CO 251 « S I (3 I 00 8U0IIBD '* U ^ « Ifl I'. E ^'i cf 4> s CO o P o To ■o u O 00 i 23,003 8 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) r/. o A%^ /ML// ^^ ^ 1.0 I.I U^m 12.5 us 2.0 1.8 1.25 |l.4 III 1.6 ■• 6" ► V] <^ /i >^1 /^ '^ '/ Photogrephic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 // ^ .<^^, .5^V?¥ A )^ova-s'cot"ia. bl The length of the British fishing ground from the iBay of Fundy to Labrador, has been estimated al 3,000 miles. The principal ports and harbors along this immense line of coast may be said to he hihabited by an Anglo-Saxon race. All the varieties of fish ap- proach their dwellings, and the richest banks arfe nol far off ; yet foreign powers, from one to three thou- sand mifes away, reap the richest harvests frottl these sources of wealth and national greatness. 'They train their seamen in the waters of British America, and are always prepared to fill their navies with experienced pilots to our bays and harbors. To remedy evils at once so depressing to our industry and dangerous to our liberties, a strict observance of treaties, a well re- gulated trade, and an equalization of bounties, are all that are necessary. ^■'■' /'if 4- , • ; » • ' < 'I 'vi- •' i •■• - .»("■ ■ . \ :T, ' V ' 1 ' ■ :'.i ,''.h !■' •■ ' ..H' i'.y '• '" ii xi .>^,'^ 1 f 1 i ' ' '< ,\ ^ 1 ' ■^1' ■i mm' i;?! ■•l< r: ' ii»;:| •i 1 1 ■ 1 ., ; t ! 1 ■i;'' !- 152 NOVA-SCOTlA» CHAPTER VI. Agriculture of Nova Scotia, climate, temperature — Comparative time of the flowcrinsf of plants — Origin of tho soils — Kinds and qualities of the soils — Manures, animal, vegetable, and mineral — Lime — Gj'psum — Wild Lands — Table of granted and ungrantcd I^ands — Clearing — Crops — Grain — Vegetables — The potato — Leguminous plants — Horticulture — Agriculture — Expenses and profits of crops, — Labor — Markets — Farm Stock — Dairy Husbandry — General remarks. Climate. — That kind of industry which unites itself with the operations of nature to produce food, must ever be of the first importance to the world. It was the first employment given by the Creator to man, and by its moral tendency, the field it opens for the expansion of science, and the materials it supplies to the neces- sities of our race, it will ever keep in the foremost and most honorable ranks of all human occupations. The success of agriculture will always depend more or less upon climate. To understand its operations, and to select the plants best adapted to its peculiarities, is of the highest importance. From the first discovery of Nova Scotia up to the present time, there has been a lack of meteorological observation. The barometri- cal records that have been kept have not been com- pared and practically applied. From this cause, and the gloomy appearance of the iHtlantic shore — a part of which is wrapt in drizzling fogs during the spring, the climate has been unsparingly condemned by NOVA-SCOTIA. 163 strangers and hasty visiters, wlio never breatlied the serene atmosphere of the interior, nor noted the rapi- dity of its vegetation. Humbolt has justly remarked, that tlie cHmate of Europe is not to be regarded as a type of the tempera- ture of other countries under the same latitudes. Cen- tral Europe was formerly considered the type for all corresponding latitudes, but it has proved to be a va- riation from the general rule. Isothermal lines make extraordinary deviations. Climates are much inlflu- cnced by the relative quantities of land and water, the positions of continents and islands, currents of the sea, altitude, longitude, winds, &c., to which may be added the condition of the earth's surface in reference to conducting and radiating heat. Places in the same latitude in Europe and America have been found to have a mean difference of temperature from 11° to 16° Fahr. Edinburgh is 9° further north than Quebec, yet its mean annual heat is 1'^ higher than that of the latter place. The chief cause of the greater intensity of the cold in North America is the great tract of land which unites it with the (frigid expanse of the polar circle, upon which there are lofty mountains covered by perpetual snows ; hence the winds that sweep over these icy regions are intensely cold. Evaporation is a cooling process. The increased power of the sun does not even in the last of February varm the air, and the old American adage of " As the days begin to lengthen" i , a rpj^g (,qJ(J begins to strengthen" h really true. But Europe is separated from the polar circle by the arctic ocean, which preserves a medium temperature, and moderates the extremes of heat and cold. The burning sands of Africa, a northern sea,- 154 NOVA-ftCOTIA. II ' ;n:-v, '•'if % ^^ ■■■f !h ; ?.• '\< ■•■ ill spring is earlier and warmer in the interior than ou. the sea coasts. The heat of summer is, in general, regular and moderate, and there are only a few days of extreme temperature. The autumns ^re delightful, and the air qlear, elastic, and healthy. This season is peculiar on account of a caln^ and pleasant period called the Indian summer, when the fading leaves of the forest present brilliant tints of every color. About the first of December the nights become cold, and bracing westerly winds begin to blow. The winter commences by the first of Janu- ary, and may be said to continue until the latter part of March, and sometimes into April. At this season the atmosphere is frequently loaded with frosty va- pour. Driving storms pile up the snow, half burying the farm houses, obstructing the roads, and mantling the earth in white. The hardest woods crack with the frost, and the thickened ice of the rivers and lakes f *Histor5' of Nova Scotia, by Thomas C. Halliburton, Esq., VoL II., p. 348—1839. tBy the Author. 'i ' m\ 1 1 )i M:' t ■ ' !^' • ij KU /:■ 158 NOVA-SCOTIA. sends out low bellowing sounds like distant thunder. In March the atmosphere becomes clcnr. The frosty ijights that succeed the warm sunny days form a crust upon the snow, and the Indian traverses the forest upon snow shoes in ([uest of Moose and Carri- boo. By the first of April the scene is greatly changed. The robin, blackbird, sparrow, and other migratory birds, begin to return, and large flocks of wild geese, in columns resembling the Queen's broad arrow, sing- ing their only song the loud coo-hoonk, are seen pushing onward to the north-east lor summer quarters. Sum- mer soon commences, and nature puts on her gayest dress. The woods and coppices are filled with sweet songsters, and every animated ^-being rejoices in the plenitude of existence The gradual elevation of temperature, and ameliora- tion of climate, has been produced by the clearing of the earth's surface of u part of its forests, and the ex- tension of cultivation. Just as the forests are succeed- ed by cultivated fields, bogs and swamps are drained, and the improvements of agriculture are introduced, so will the climate be mitigated. The earth, when covered with a thick growth ot vegetables, offers a surface that radiates heat very slowly, and the direct rays of the sun have but little influence over its tem- perature. Snow remain^ undissolved beneath the lofty trees, and evergreens of the wilderness, after the cleared lands have become dry, and cultivated plants, have begun to blossom. The woody shades are cool retreats in summer, while the radiation of improved fields gives great heat. The early snows that fall upon the cleared ground seldoni remain through the Tvinter, while those that drop among the wood? do^ NOVA-8C0TIA. i39 not all disappear until the first of May, or cvcri later, when the fields afford siifliciciit grass for cattle. The princii)al peculiarities of the climate are the great extremes of temperature, and the sudden transi- tions from lieat to cold. Thunder and lightning arc violent. It is doubted by many whether the mitiga- tion of climate evidently produced by the removal of the forests, were it advanced much farther, would be of any advantage to the country. 1 he snow, former- ly much dreaded by Europeans, is decidedly advanta- geous. Upon it timber is cheaply transported to the saw mills ; hay is removed from the marshes and in- tervales ; and poles for fencing, with wood for fuel, are obtained for summer supplies. The most fruitful seasons have been preceded by winters of deep snow, which are supposed to keep the earth warm. In April the grass begins to grow beneath the deepest drifts. Excepting the fodder that it requires for live stock, the winter is no material drawback upon the labor of the farmer. In it he thrashes his grain, fattens his oxen and swine for market, and prepares for the com- ing spring. The coldest months afford the season of the greatest gaiety — courtship and weddings are more iVequent then than iu the sultry months of summer. From its excessive rigor, great extremes and sudden changes,* it might have been expected that the cli- mate of Nova Scotia would soon undermine the human constitution ; but experience has proved iti» salubrity. The diseases are chiefly of an inflamma- tory character, and pulmonary consumption. The *Wcather •wisdom is considered a necessary part of the farmers* knowledge. The preci sors of a storm in aotnc parts of the country are considered to be — the sweating of an anvil, or grindstone— the crowing of a cock at midnight — hissing of the fire — a cat seen wash- 'ng her. face— the early rising of the ywrfe-wv/c, &c. I *l IMI- •i: 160 noVa-8cotia. • 1 » climate is frco from th6 bilious atid intcrmittani fevers' of the wcstorn States, and parts of Canada ; and no specific diseases aro generated in the country. Many of the inhabitants attain the age of ninety years, and a few reach a hundred, and upwards. The most fatal diseases are those introduced by passenger ships from foreign parts. The operations of the climate upon the produce of Rgriculture, are more favorable than in other countries tinder the same mean annual temperature, Besides tlie fruits of the temperate regions, the great heat of summer permits those of a tropical character to flour- ish — hence a greater variety may be produced than in any other part of the world. The winters are milder than those of New Brunswick, Lower Canada, or the State of Maine. The season for vegetation is suffi- ciently extended to ripen all kinds of grain, vegetables and fruits. Only 92 days are required to ripen wheat, rye, barley, and oats, under a medium temperature of 62° Farenheit. Buckwheat will ripen in 70 days. Pulse, peas, and a number of garden vegetables are brought to maturity in a much shorter period ; but the winter wheat raised in Upper Canada and the United States has not been successfully cultivated in this ])rovinc0. The humidity of the atmosphere renders it peculiarly favorable for tiie growth of potatoes, which iti the middle counties have suffered less from the blight than in almost any other part of America. There were shocks of earthquakes in Nova Scotia in the years 1663, 1827, and 1839. A shock was also reported in 1847. The aurora borealis is extremely brilliant, and sometimes displays a red, yellow, and blue light. Oocasionally it rises to the zenith, and has been seen to overspread the great arch of the NOVA>l(.OTU. 161 heavens. Meteors uro cotntnoii at all seasons of the year. Large tracts of forests have been devastated by tornadoes. The following table has been prepared from the Memoirs of the American Academy, and other sources : Compar alive time of flower ing of rtaiU.n. \ •3 o • •a > April 20th Montreal, (Canada) ■ New -York 1 1 Philadelphia j illaytonia Virgiuica, (Spring Beauty) April IGth April 10th April Gth T'lmus Americana, (Elm) 1 May 2d May 10th " 20th " lOtli Acer Rubrum, (Soft Maple) 5 " 10th " oth " 12th " 10th \cor Sacharinum, (Sugar Maple) } •' 4th " Gth " 2Gth •' l.')th Loontodon Turaxaciun > (Dandelion ) \ " 16th " l(5th May lat " 22d Fragaria Virginica, (Strawberry) ] May loth '• loth " «th « I'yrus Mains, '(Apple) \ " 29th " 2.5th " Gth " 20th V Soils. — Every well ascertained fact in regard to the physical structure of the earth, and the chemical com- position of its materials, is embraced by the science of geology : now as all the soils have been derived chiefly from the rocks, the solid framework of the globe. This science, by demonstrating their origin, the causes of their diversity, and their properties, is of the highest importance to agriculture. - The rocks from which the soils have been produ- ced, and upon which they K^pose, may, for the pre^iciK V f Ur' If iv j'' ■■ .i: ' f Or w ■ 1 1' ' i i ■r. '' ' If s;l 162 NOVA-SCOTlAi object, be divided into (bur classes, namely, such as have been formed by the agency of heat, (igneous,) such as have been produced by water (aqueous), by animals (coralline), and tiiose composed more or less of vegetables (cai'boniferous. ) The soils have result- ed from the disintegration and decomposition of each of these classes of rocks, which of themselves have afforded great variety : that variety has been increased by mixture. Whenever we remove the superlicial covering of the earth to a suflicient depth, we will find the solid rocks. Immediately above these rocks there may be broken ?nasses succeeded by beds of stones, gravel, sand, clay, jfcc. The u])permoFt co- verings are called the subsoil and the soil. The fer- tility of the latter will depend in a great measure upon the fineness of its particles, and the number and rela- tive quantities of its ingredients. In numerous places the rocks not only reach the surface, but rise into lofty clitfs, defying the industry of man. Between these cliffs, and in the lower grounds and vallies, soils of greater- or »ess depth will be found. Kven the hardest rocks, when they are exposed to the heat of summer, the frost of winter, the air, winds, rain, and the operation of currents of water, gradually crumble down. By the silent, but never- ceasing operations of meteoric agents, the flinty mass is reduced and converted into a fertile mould, which, if it be not retained ni the shallow basins of the table lands and slopes, is carried downwards by numerous descending streams to the vallies, where it forms a soil capable of producing plants. There are also col- lections of rounded masses of rock c'^'od boulders, as unproductive as the naked mountain ina.ss. Besides these deposits of mineral s«ub.'>lauccs. thick layers oi NOVA-SCOTIA. lo;j alluviul matter are spread out over the lower grounds, and to which daily additions are made from the dila- pidations of previously formed beds. These sods aro- iho inost fertile, for the more finely matter is divided, the better it is adapted to vegetation. The most recent of the earth's chemical and mechanical a nts are best fitted for the support of vegetables, ^nxed in these fine soils are the remains of plants in a state of decomposition, or in humus, which possess as great fertilising properties, still minerals form the true basis of all soils. As each of the classes of rocks before mentioned generally occupy certain and well defined districts, we might expect to find soils peculiar to each circum- scribed within fixed bounds; and such is really the fact to a certain extent. By disintegration the sand-^ stones have yielded sands, and the argillaceous strata, clay. The soil of limestone is always calcareous, and that derived from gypsum abounds in the sulphate of lime. The trap rocks furnish a feldspathic soil, and the gravel covering granite is peculiar to that rock. From a knowledge of these facts, and the details con- nected with them, the geologist is enabled \o arrive at correct conclusions respecting the properties of soils belonging to any country, by the examination of its rocky formations. ' ■ There are regular zones of vegetation peculiar to the geology of each district. Such zones may be traced throughout the whole of Nova Scotia, and they arc so well defined that not only may the vegetation of a district be described from a knowledge of its rocks, but vice versa, the nature of the rocks may be correctly judged of from the plants that grow upon i\^Gni. Gjrain, and especially wheat, will yield bi^t '■ «i. 164 NOVA-SCOTIA. I. •'il i ^m meagre and blighted crops on soils that contain no lime : whence is that mineral to be obtained by the living plant except from the soil. Maize, or Indian Corn, requires little or no lime, and this fact will ex- plain the cause why it will grow well upon land that will raise no wheat. Geology at once supplies us with the general cha- racters of the earth's productive coverings, and chem- istry instructs us in their local peculiarities and those minute details which must ever form the basis of sue- cessful tillage. The surface of almost every country presents the inquirer with an assemblage of hetero- geneous bodies, apparently thrown together in great confusion ; but careful inspection will soon inform him that not only the different classes of rocks, but the soils that repose upon them, succeed each other in regular order, and their boundaries may be traced upon a map. To perform this work has been the chief object of the Ordnance Geological Survey now yearly advancing in Great Britain. It must not, however, be understood, that the different kinds of soils are always to be found resting upon the rocks that have supplied them. I have remarked elsewhere that it is very evi- dent that the whole continent of North America has been submerged beneath the ocean, and exposed to violent currents of water, at some remote period or periods in the earth's history. By the operations of those currents and ice, the rocks have been transport- ed in boulders, gravel, and sand ; the beds of clay and fine materials have been produced bv the falling of sediment in situations where the waters were tranquil. The detrital deposits arc therefor? not always confined to the surfaces of their parent masses, but are fre- quently found to have been spread ovei rocks of other N0VA-8C0TIA. 165 c'liaracters, and thus the hard uayieldhig strata have been covered by rich diluvium, and the eartli has been prepared for the extension of cultivation. , : . Boulders from the granite ridge, extending from Annapolis eastward to Hants county, are found scat- tered over the clay slates to the south, at all distances to the Atlantic coast. Boulders of trap rocks, identi- cal with those of the north mountains of Kings and Annapolis, have been carried to the south, and now rest upon the granite ; and masses of sandstone, be- longing^ to the coal field of Cumberland, ai-e now found on the south side of the Bay of Fundy and Basin of Minas. Beds of gravel, sand, diluvium, and fine clayey sediment, have resulted from this kind of trans- portation. The direction of the currents is marked with unerring precision by the parallel grooves and scratches seen in the fixed strata of every part of the Province. Similar facts have been observed in each of the British Provinces, and the eastern American States. • . ':' M WW •: . ' The general courses of the mountains and hills in North America are from the south-west to the north- east. This is the ordinary direction of the hills and the stratified formations leaning against them in Nova Scotia. We therefore find belts, or tracts of soil, run- ning in those directions, and testing on the slopes and in the vallies. By delivial currents, the debris and soils from the rocky groups have been transported to the south, but not so far that the belts or zones of those soils may not be traced along the country. There is then a geographical distribution of soils, the knowledge of which is of much importance in the set- tlement of a new country, and the survey of its lands, '^'he soils now forming frcm the disintegration of the I '^i . '■■• <*'. 'M '1 * A \m NOVA-SCOTIA. i^ Si'f' I . II' rocks still exposed to meteoric agents, are found upoi\ the rocks themselves, or along the courses of the streams that descend from them. '•* ^ ft is not intended in this place to enter upon an extended account of the geological structure of the country. For the purpose of general description, it may be stated that running along almost the whole south-eastern coast of Nova Scotia from Barrington to Cape Canseau, there is an irregular belt of granitic and sienitic rocks. A similar belt extends from the county of Digby, in the rear of Annapolis town, eastwar-i, through the central parts of the south mountains to the county of Hants. The same rocks also form an elevated ridge, extending from Parrsboro', on the west, to River John, on the east, including the hilly tract called the Cobequid Mountains. The agricultural features of these districts are sim far. The rocks pro- trude the soil, and frequently form rugged cliffs, and the walls of narrow ravines. There are flat areas, occupied by boulders and angular blocks of stone, often covered by peat. The wild vegetation of these forbidden tracts is scanty. With them there are patches of soil reposing upon the rocks and' also upon beds of gravel and sand. These are capable of culti- vation, and in their natural state produce groves of pine, spruce, or of the harder woods beech, birch, and maple. Small lakes, peat bogs, and swamps, are com- mon. The stony tracts bear stunted trees, with laurel, uva ursi, whortleberries, and cranberries. The "bar- rens," as they are called, are sometimes the resort of immense flights of pigeons, ' '^ ' ■ ' !■;; . ' The soil derived ftom the igneous rocks known as granite and sienite, is peculiar ; its chief properties ^tfisQ fxoxtk the presence of silica, clay, lime, magnesia, ''■r' 'ii VOVA-SCOTIA. liir. s, are com- and potash. It is favorable to the growth of white pine. Of itself, granite is not very productive of grain; but in Nova Scotia it is mixed with the miner- als of the numerous trap dikes, and drift, whereby its power is increased, i : , ., <..,»... The whole north-west coast of the Province, next the Bay of Fundy, from Brier Island to Cape Blome- don, is one continuous belt of trap, greenstone, and amygdaloid, known in Kings and Annapolis counties as the North Mountains, upon which cultivation has increased rapidly within a few years past. Another ridge is connected with the granite of the Cobequid range, and running westerly, terminates at Chignecto, occupying a tract at Parrsboro' from four to seven, miles wide. The soil of the trap rocks oi the North Mountains is eminently fertile. The numerous streams that descend from them into the vallies of Annapolis and Kings Counties, have carried down great quanti- ties of the fertilising decomposed trap, and all the lands skirting the flanks of the mountains have been enriched. Besides having a southern aspect, this tract is sheltered from the bleak winds of the north-west, and so far as it is occupied, cultivation is bountifully rewarded. ,, ,..- ■, ,, - .,;.,,. ,, ^j- -._ = %m'.. ■ ^-^ «, The feldspar of these trappean rocks, besides silica, contains alumina, potash, and soda, and the hornblende contains lime. The presence of these alkalies is suf- ficient to explain the active character of the disente- grated matter which is abundant, especially upon the amygdaloid. Decayed trap has been successfully ap- plied as a manure. In some parts of the Province it iy to be procured by digging.,- ., ,. ,,., ,.; ,, .(vt^r ' We may now turn to those soils which have result- ed from the exposure of that invot extensive class oX ' i ■ 9V9. li )i' '.tijj h' , i / ■ .-J 16S:f NOVA-SCOTlA. rocks which has been formed by the agency of water, and is known by being laid in distinct layers, or strata. They are extremely various in composition and effi- ciency. Running parallel to the belts of granite above noticed, and with their strata leaning cigainst them, the stratified non-fossiliferous, or metamorphic rocks, oc- cupy extensive tracts of country. One of these tracts reaches from Yarmouth in an easterly direction through all the southern counties to the Gut of Canseau, meet- ing the granite. A similar zone extends from Yar- mouth in the direction of St. Mary's Bay through the southern part of Kings and western part of Hants, across the Shubenacadie to the higher lands westward of St. George's Bay and the Gut of Canseau. This group occupies a large \> ^rtion of the counties of Ha- lifax, Lunenburg, and dueens, and is characterised by the presence of mica slate, hornblende slate, chlorite slate, graywaoke, graywacke slate, and clay slate. The soil that follows the crumbling down of the mica slate from the greater deficiency of hornblende and feldspar, is more sterile than that of granite : but the extent of this rock is very limited in the Province. The soil of the hornblende and chlorite slates is of a better quality, but it is deficient in those minerals that chiefly stimulate vegetation. All the varieties of gray- wacke yield but slowly before the elements. In Nova Scotia they are partially covered with deposits of drift sand and gravel, but in situations where they are ex- posed to the weather, they contribute but little to the formation of soil. The clay slate forms a considerable part of the group under consideration. Its strata and lamina are broken up by the expansive force of water while freezing, and their disintrcgration is frequently very rapid. The dceomi .^sitiou is also hastened by ii NOVA-SCOTIA. 169 s, or strata. the presence of the sulphates of iron and alumina. The soil produced is thin and cold. The task of bringing it into a profitable state of culture is expen- sive. Much of the soil in the county of Halifax is of this description. The natural herbage upon this group frequently indicates its sterility. Scrubby ever- greens and bogs, covered with whortleberries, are common. With them there are peat bogs and low tracts covered with cranberry vines. The acidulous and vitriolic slates afford a soil almost poisonous to plants of every kind. The gravelly beds are usually occupied by beech, birch, and maple ; and wherever there is a sufficient depth of fine soil upon such grounds, wheat, oats, potatoes, and Indian corn grow well, — yet they require to be freely manured and well tilled. The intervales are rich, and produce good crops of hay. The best tracts are covered with alders, - ' Accompanying the rocks just mentioned, there is another group which I have described as being equiva- lent to the Silurian system of Europe.* ' The rocks of this system contain the remains of marine animals, and lime. They skirt the sides of the south mountains at Digby, Annapolis, and Kings. They also appear in the County of Pictou, and on the sides of the Cobequid range. In situations where there are no compact limestones, the shells now fossil- ized have imparted the phosphate and carbonate of lime to the rock, and thereby improved the soil re- sulting from its dilapidation. ' :j4ri;J^ Succeeding the above rocks there is a red micace- ous sandstone, accompanied by beds of red shale, * Proceedings of the Geological Society of London, Vol. IV. Part I. p. 186. 170 KOVA-ICOTIA. marly clay, and conglomerate. These rocks occupy the long valley of Kings and Annapolis, between the North and South Mountains,* and a considerable tract on the north side of Minas Basin. From their yield- ing nature deep soils have been produced, and the lime contained in the marl beds has contributed much to their fertility. These districts possess the most valuable agricultural qualities, and embrace some of the richest lands in the Province. The coal fields of Nova Scotia skirt nearly the whole of its northern coast, and form the isthmus between this Province and New Brunswick. Two belts of coal field, one on each side of Mina? Basin, unite in the district of Truro, extending eastward to Pictou, Merigomish, and Pomket. The coal field of Nova Scotia has an area of upwards of 2.500 square miles. The prevailing rocks arc red, gray, and choco- late colored sandstones and conglomerates — red, blue, and black shales, shelly limestone, clay iron stone, and bituminous coal. The dilapidation of the sand- stones aftords soils of several colors. These are some- times thin and meagre. The shales on the other hand produce stiff and wet clays^ which are often poor and unmanageable : draining and lime are most necessary to their improvement. The limestone and ironstone occupy only small tracts. Wherever these soils have been formed and repose directly upon the above rocks, they present'the characters described ; but from causes already noticed — namely, the operations of diluvial currents — those soils have been almost universally mixed, a great variety produced, and their general fer- tility improved. We therefore frequently find a deep * Geology and Mineralogy of Nova Scotia, by the author, Gossip and Coade, 1S36. NOVA-SCOTIA. in m red marly loam, with a clay subsoil, light sandy earthi adapted to the raising of Indian corn, and vall'es con- taining a dark brown mellow soil, abounding in hu- mus. With these arc beds of gravel and sand, whose soils are too porous to withstand the drought of sum- mer, peat bogs, or alder swamps, and patches of white and yellow sand, covered with stunted trees, laurel and whortleberries. From being annually irrigated like the Banks of the Nile, the intervales are always productive. Some of them have resulted from the labors of the industrious beaver, which, until they were destroyed, constructed dams across the rivulets to supply the water that protected them from their enemies. Such tracts are now called beaver meadows. Besides the above geological districts, we have another of still higher perfection. The limestone and gypsiferous district embraces a large tract in the coun- ties of Hants and Colchester ; it also appears at Cum- berland, Fictou, and Cape Breton. It is distinguished by the prevalence of red sandstones, conglomerates and shales, accompanied by thick deposits of limestone and gypsum. By the disintegration of the latter rocks, some of the soils are rendered almost sterile by the superabundance of the sulphate and carbonate of lime. Such soils might be advantageously mixed with those that lack those minerals. The sandstones contain lime, and marly clays are not uncommon. From the va- riety and stimulating nature of the minerals forming the soils of these districts, they are generally pro- ductive. They also possess the great advantage of containing limestone, which may be cheaply employed at the discretion of the farmer. I have already adverted to the transported collecr Uons of boulders, gravel, and sand, which everywhere • ,i\ L*'.')!. Ill 172 NOVA-SCOTIA. obscure tho rocky formations just noticed. It is ne- cessary to guard against the opinion that each of those formations will everywhere display iis own })eciiliar soil. The diluvial currents that have swept over the surface have mixed all the movec' materials upon the crust of the earth. These detrh ollections and transported soils are almost always diOferent from those derived from the rocks situated beneath thoni. It is thus we find sterile tracts of sand and clay upon the fertile red sandstones, and rich ones upon the unyield- ing granite. Very frequently also the materials brought from a distance are mixed up with those native to the spot, and thus the qualities of the soils are greatly modified. The most casual observer will be struck with the contrast in the productive character of the soil in different districts, and he will find its variation in fertility to have a most evident connexion with tho rocky strata of the country. The greater relative fer- tility of parts of even a single field, can be traced to the geological peculiarities of the bnrrounding district. In an agricultural point of view, alone, a good Geolo- gical Map of Nova Scotia would be very useful ; for, from a knowledge of the geological boundaries of each rocky formation, the general character of the prevail- ing soils may be ascertained with an accuracy suffi- cient to guide the farmer in his principal operations. We have here to notice another class of soils, denominated alluviums. These are forming and col- lecting every day through never-ceasing meteoric operations, and the influence of water. Alluviums are of two kinds, marine and fresh water. These varieties arc frequently mixed at the mouths of rivers, or where the descending streams meet the sea. Marine allu- viums are found and collected chiefly by the operations \y^ ^, .. .wUTiA. 173 of the sea. The groat marshes of Hants, Kings, An- napolis, and Cumberland counties, are of this charac- ter, and largo tracts have been rescued from the ocean by dikes, or embankments. The properties of the alluviums are inlluenced by the nature of the rocks whence thty are derived. The marshes of Hants, Kings, and the borders of Minas Basin, are formed by the dilapidation of the marly red sandstones and trap rocks of the adjacent shores : hence they are more fer- tile than those derived from the grits of Cumberland. The alluviums collected by the rivers opening directly into the Atlantic are scanty and meagre ; and as the tides attain an elevation of only a few feet, they are imperfectly drained. ■ All the mouths cf the rivers emptying into Minas, Cumberland, and Annapolis Basins, were once open estuaries, which have been filled up by gradual depo- sits of sediment from the tide waters. The deposit of sediment goes on until the top of the alluvium reaches within one or two feet of the level of the highest tides, when it cease u In digging into these marshes, col- lections of shells, the forest trees of the Province, drift wood, tScc, are found in every quarter. Fragments of the wrecks of vessels, broken canoes, harpoons, and other relies of the native Indians, appear ; also the old bridges, wooden shoes, and other works of the old French settlers are dug up in opening drains, and in many instances they arc proofs of the rapid collection of these valuable alluvial tracts. ,;■ The preservative powers of these salt alluviums are very great, equalling those of peat bogs : trees dug up from depths of twenty feet, and which must have been buried for long periods, are perfectly sound. The small bridges erected, and the piles driven by the m^' rtiwj*"*' a .;:' 174 NOYA-SCOTIA. hi' „i: W French at loast a century ac^o, arc still undecay«d. The piles of a ranseway at Hay Vcrtc, built by La Come, near his fort, are preserved. It is evident thai the tides of the Bay of Fundy are graihially risini;, or attaining a greater medium annual elevation. Tliis fact effecl.s t!ie formation of marshes. On the borders of some tracts tiierc are ranges of stumjjs of trees standing in their natural positions, and !iow buried in the alluvium several feet. At many j)laces the allu- vium is found resting upon ui)land, the plants of wliich have been driven back and succeeded by marine pro- ductions. In Prince Edward's Island I observed groves of forest trees which had been destroyed by the influence of sea water. These facts fully accord witii the observations of the oldest inhabitants ; and the dikes, or embankments, that now protect the fcrlilo marshes from the ocean, require greater strength and height than they did in former years. The tides of last autum were remarkably high — many dikes were broken, and much valuable land overflown. The freshwater alluviums arc universally called intervales ; these have resulted from the wearing down of the rocks, the wasting away of previously formed soils and vegetable matter, all of which are annually brought down by the Ireshets, and spread along the borders of the streams. These intervales are of two kinds — the high and the low. Since the former were made, the streams have worn for themselves deeper and wider beds ; obstructions have given way, and they cease to be overflown by the floods of spring and autumn. The low intervales on the ether hand con- tinue to be Overflown, and are therefore valuable for grasses. At many places along the courses of the streams these intervales are seen in beautiful terraces NOVA'BCOTU. 175 which mark tho anciont boiinJaries of the wulcr and the successive steps to which it has retn^ited. The ([uality of these soils is also modified by tho nature of the rocics over which tho streams descend ; but from being finely divided and mixed, they are usually productive. The low intervales are annually Ruriched by the fine sediment laid upon them by tho freshets. In some few instances the barriers of lakes have given way, and ihey have been drained, and there IS a lacustrine soil of great fertility. Much of the detritas of the land is always carried into tho sea, and swept away by the tidal currents into trancpiil basins. A considerable check to the loss of fertilising matter is sustained by the tidal waters of rivers which bring back on the flood what had been lost by the ebb. Breakers pile up bf^aches of sand and shingle at the embouchures of the streams emptying directly into the sea. Bars of sand resist the transportation of tlie debris, and in time their inner basins are filled with alluvial matter. From the constant deposit of detrital matter, the tidai portions of many of the rivers are silted up. The Basins of Minas and Cumbcrldnd grow shallow yearly, and the time is approaching when the shallow estua- ries along their borders will become marshes. The occupations and habits of the inhabitants of any civilized country will ever be influenced by the geological structure of the districts they inhabit, and by the facilities of transport. The presence of coal and iron lay the foundation of manufacture, while the peculiarities of the soil determine the condition of agriculture. The advantages of communication by water, and the fisheries, have heretofore had an im- portant influence upon the positions of the settlements 170 NOVA-SCOTU. ! A ii.j« in Nova Scotia. Wo find tlio chiof villages stretched along the banks of the principal streams, especially ■where they arc clothed by niarshes and intervales. In these |)osiiions ninch ot* the soil is good. There are, however, some unreelainied inland tracts, that ofl'er onconragenient to nmnnlactnre and ai2;ricultnro. Although to enter npon a miiuite description of the soils of the Province is no part of the present object, it may be remarked that the ash of })lants contains a number of mineral substances. The ash of bean straw contains U})war(ls of 50 per cent, of potash, and from barley straw 73 [)er cent of silica has been ob- tained. The principal mineral substances in tiie ash of wheat, barley, and oat straw, are ])otash, soda, liino, alumina, magnesia, and silica. Now it would be dif- ficult to conceive whence these minerals could bo de- rived for the support of the growing crop except from the soil, and it must be obvious that if there is a de- ficiency of any of these minerals in the soil, the i)ro- duce thereof will be imi)erfect. To supply the sub- stances that are wanting, and to regidate the (piantitics of those that do exist, are most important objects. Chemistry and Geology are therefore the handmaids of agriculture. The ash of one crop is very different in kind and quantity from that of another. 'I'he ash of wheat contains from 18 to 20 per cent, of polasli, but the jmtash in the ash of oats is only about f) por cent. The former has 20 percent, of soda — the latter only 5 per cent. According to thtse facts, wheat will exhaust the soil of its lime and ])otasli much more ra- pidly than oats ; and this demonstration, with many others of a similar kind, is corroborated by practice. Soils contam the above minerals in greater or less pro- portions ; plants also receive them from the earth in i.I NOVA-SCOTIA. 177* different quantities. The cxpoiionce of the furnier has taught liim to apply certain plants to certain fields ; but chemistry is the proper guide in fixing their habitations : lienco also we deduce a natural reason for the rotation of crops. Many are surprised that felled forests of hard wood are succeeded by spruce and fir ; but nature evi- dently directs this rotation, and only allows such trees to spring up as the surface of the earth is able to bring to perfection. A backwoodsman once told mo that hfi raised wheat and potatoes upon a |)iece of ground until they would grow no longer ; he then '* pitched it out for a rabbit pasture and cleared a new bit." tSuch rab- bit pastures are seen in every part of Nova Scotia, and tlie change of crops displayed by the forests is disregar- cd in the practice of husbandry. The leaves that fall from the woods in autumn give the earth an annual toj)-dres8ing. A part of the in- organic matter taken up by the trees is thus returned to the soil which is constantly renovated. This fact gives the farmer an useful hint. There arc certain tracts to which gypsum might bo most beneficially applied — others would be benefitted by the carbonate of lime. Some soils require the introduction of vegetable matter, some lack the saline ingredients. These, and many other important particulars, are not understood. Im- mense quantities of valuable manures are lost for the want of that general knowledge of chemistry and geo- logy so re(iuisite to preserve them, and to guard against their improper application. The causes and effect* well known to science are disregarded, and much labor is lost in experiments performed in ignorance of the most obvious laws of nature. i i; m > Practical chemistry, geology, and the first principles of agriculture, are untaught in any of our colleges of schools. The physical sciences arc not cherished by w * ■ :■! ..■j ♦■■ I" M-'A I I 1-78 NOVA-SCOTIA. the Legislature, and the few indiviilMals who have de- voted their time and energies to the most useful inqui- ries, have labored under everj- discouragement, .^i,,, v^f., Among the resources of the country, manures, or the means afforded for renovating the soil, are of import- ance, especially in districts where agriculture must form the chief branch of industry. In few countries are manures more abundant and varied thun in Nova Scotia. There is scarcely a tract to be found which may not be improved by its own lime, peat, or sea-weeds. I have found it convenient to separate the sub^ances employed to renovate and stimulate the soil into three classes, humely — Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral Substances. Animal substances act powerfully upon the soil, es- pecially during their decomposition. In Hungary, and dther parts of the world, dead flies are collected and employed for manure. In Nova Scotia the undigested animal manures consist almost altogether of dead fish and fish offal, and these are often allowed to be wasted in heaps rather than applied to the soil. Herring are sometimes taken upon the coast in such quantities that the fishermen are unable to preserve the whole catch, and with smelts and caplin, they are taken for the sole purpose of supplying manure. The taking of fish for this object is very reprehensible, and should be prevent- ed by law, for it tends to destroy the young fry and the bait that allures the deep sea fish to the shores. Her- rings, smelts, or caplin, are taken upon the shores of New Brunswick and coast of Gaspe in great quantities and carted into the fields. This unprepared manure produces a few good crops, but by its constant applica- tion the soil loses many of its natural properties, and finally becomes very meagre, ii-')^ '■<[■' ^ a _ ^c t fi'v/n. NOVA-SCOTIA. 179, : 'n^H Fisii OFFAL.-^The ofFal of tish at the fishing stations, is sometimes carried to the adjacent fields ; but both fish and their offal would be much more advantageously employed by throwing them into composts with earth, sod, or peat. Six barrels of such refuse are sufficient for 25 loads of compost. The organic and earthy matter of bones have long been known to be powerful stimulants to the soil ; and as a manure, bonedust is perhaps equal to guano. There is not a bone-mill in the Province except at Horton. Bones are shipped from St. John, New Brunswick, to Great Britain, where they arc ground foi^ manure. It has long been held that the digestion of food in- creases its fertilising powers, and practice has proved that the excrement of animals which take rich food is superior to that of lean stock. The farmers of Nova Scotia have heretofore depended upon the collections of barn manure found beneath the stable windows in the spring, and from the length of the winters, and great quantity of fodder consumed by the stock, these collec- tions are of the first importance to their crops. These animal productions are either employed immediately, or allowed to remain over until the succeeding season. The latter preparation is deenxed necessary when the manure is intended for Indian corn. It is seldom thrown into compost, and the ammoniacal and other gases are allowed to escape Tnto the air. In autumn such manures are frequently laid in heaps upon the fields, where the frosts and thaws of winter, and the rains of spring and autumn, carry off the most essential of their fertilising properties. Among the refuse of the farming premises, none is more valuable than urine — 1000 lbs. of which ordinarily contain 65 lbs. of the rich- est dry fertilising matter. There are few instances iri^ :| #! S^F ;! ,:i, ' 180 NOVA-SCOTIA. %^ W ' . m n I the whole country where any attempt is made to pre- serve urine for manure. It is universally allowed to escape, and the whole wash of the barn yard and pig- gery are permitted to run off. It therefore happens that at least one half of all the fertilising matter con- tained in these animal productions is lost. The collec- tions of night soil and urine into proper pits, and a careful management of the stable product, would afford the means of increasing the crops two-fold above those of the present sloyenly system. That part of the straw of the grain crop wl]ich is not consumed by the live stock, or used for litter, is valua- ble for manure, and together with green weeds, rushes, and whatever decomposable matter can be collected, should be thrown into the pit, or reservoir, and finally removed to the compost ; but often is the barn built upon some small eminence, and the most valuable fer- tilising substances are swept away by every shower into the brooks and swamps, where they are lost. Upon new farms the decayed straw of the grain crops and collections from the stable sometimes collect in such quantities that they incommode the new settler ; and instances have occurred when, instead of applying the manure to the soil, the barn has been removed from the manure in order to obtain " a clean pla«. .'' A first, second, and even third crop, may be raised from the virgin soil of some lands, and often does the new begin- ner, as he is called, prefer clearing the timber from a new patch to manuring and tilling the land already ren- dered fit for the plough. Vegetable Manures. — Vegetable manures consist of plants in different stages of fermentation and decompo- sition. As the soil supplies each crop with a certain amount of inorganic matter, the restoration of that mat- t;er tg the earth by carrying back to it such parts of the Sm !. .! NOVA-SCOTIA. 18i plants as are not employed for food, seems to be directed by the operations of nature which renovates the soil annually by a top dressing of leaves. 'Ihe dry leaves of some trees yield 80 per cent, of saline and earthy matter, and experiment has proved their value to the growth of cultivated plants. Vegetables are applied to the earth under four dif- ferent conditions — namely : in green, dry, and decom- posed states, or after they have been digested by ani- mals. When green vegetables are plowed in, they heat, ferment, and decompose rapidly. Green manuring has therefore been practised from the earliest periods. The Romans plowed down the green lucerne, the Italians the lupin, and the Germans the borage. In Britain and France, clover, buckwheat, tares, and rape, are favorite plants for this object. In Nova Scotia where the se- cond, or autumnal crops of clover would be quite suffi- cient for the purpose, the practice is seldom resorted to. The numerous weeds that infest the fence rows and ditches, and scatter their se^s over the adjoining fields, are seldom collected intq composts and prepared for each succeeding crop of grain, or roots. Moss, Moss Earth The cohesiveness of clay pre- vents its improvement, and sand h unproductive from a contrary cause ; if moss, or moss earth, mixed with lime, or previously composted with the alkali, be applied to the tenacious clay, its texture is loosened, and a wider range is offered for the roots qf plants ; it will be less retentive of moisture, and less adhesive. Sea Weeds. — Alffce MarincB, or sea weeds, supply both organic and saline matter to the soil. Although their effects are considered to be of brief duration, they are important as manure. They are peculiarly valuable, as the salt contained in them destroys foul weeds. The cultivated fields of the coasts are almost free from thosei iT ' r v^a NOVA-SCOTIA. i^-\ 'A !»■•: i noxious plants that infest the lands of the interior. Sea,, weeds are applied to the lands in small quantiticsi, on almost all the coasts, and especially by the fishermen, who depend upon their potato and cabbage patch for a part of their subsistence ; but this kind of manure is generally neglected by farnners in situations where it might be cheaply obtained, and the high price of labor has operated against its more extended use. "^ '- n Dry vegetable matter, straw, weeds, or hay, can be made to ferment, and consequently to act upon the soil. The decay of saw dust is slow, yet it enriches the earth where it is applied. l"he numerous saw mills in the Province produce great quantities of saw dust, which is washed away, and lost. The powder of charcoal will absorb noxious vapours and oxygen from the air, and also take up the impuri. ties of water. It is therefore of much value for mixing' with liquid manure and night soil. In a country abound- ing in wood, charcoal may be advantageously employed in agriculture. The aiagnant water seen near farm houses might be converted into rich fertilising matter, and the air around them rendered pure and healthy by the employment of charcoal. Peat. — Peat has long been employed for manure in Europe, and wherever the earth is deficient in vegetable matter it is very valuable. Within a few years past it has been brought into use in America, especially in the United States, where it is made into composts with lime, or stable manure. This kind of decayed vegeta- ble matter is gradually coming into use in Canada and Nova Scotia. In the latter Province it is very abund- ant. Besides the peat produced by the growth and decay of sphagneous plants, deposits of decayed wood and leaves usually called black mud, are common in aU the swamps.' ■ - ■"' "'^'^ '^•••^ ^' v . NOVA-SCOTIA. 183 The experiments of the late Lord Meadowhank, and others, have proved that after it has been dried, peat may be fermented, and made to impart much fertiUzing matter to composts. If the sour water be drained oft", and the peat mixed with an equal quantity of barn ma- nure, the moss will be as efficacious U the crop as tho best stable dung. Peat may be very cheaply and advantageously employed by carting it into shallow pits made in the barn yards, and lined with clay, where it may be so placed as to absorb the urine and wash of the stables. Under such circumstances it ferments, and forms a powerful renovator of light soils. By such simple operations^ thousands of farmers might increase their supplies of manure four fold ; and there are few tracts where peat, muck, or black mud, may not be pro- cured for the purpose. After peat has been partially dried, it may be thrown into heaps, and burnt, or charred. Such charred peat will secure the ammonia of all liquid manures and night soil. Peat ashes* are admirably adapted to the fertili- zation of all stiff clays. An experiment is occasionally performed by carting peat or black mud from the bog directly to the fields, and its use has been condemned, because in this svay it did nut increase the crop. Dry peat is almost inert ; it is rendered useful by being brought into a fermentative state, and frequently in the bog it contains vitriolic acid which is deleterious to veget2,tiun. The acidulous water should always be drained off, and some o{ the means briefly noticed above should be applied to render it beneficial. , . > h, r. Pommage. — In the counties of Kings and Annapolis* quantities of pommage, commonly called pummis, col- * Note.— Peat ashes abound in carbonate, sulphate, and phosphate of lime ; with these exists frvo alliali, and each of them i« a valuable fertilizer. • •.^^•-- ;.,.; rn *■■,• , , ■ •>-; . '' . ' m V. 184 NOVA-SCOT lA. lect around the cider mills. The malic acid conttiued in this pommage in its first state is very deleterious to vegetation ; but if the refuse of the cider press is mixed with one tenth part of its bulk of ashes, the acid is neu- tralized, and the mixture rendered an active manure. In 1847 the author raised 300 bushels of the Ruta Baga from one quarter of an acre of land manured with pommage and ashes that had lain eight months in com- post. Ashes.— Besides potash in an impure state, the ashes of wood contain the sulphate and silicate of potash. These are valuable ingredients in the soil. Ashes hi,:": therefore been extensively used in the old countries. The general employment of wood for fiiel, during the long winters, affords great quantities of ashes ; but instead of being kept dry, they are almost universally thrown away, and their fertilizing properties are either lost or much impaired by the Weather. Much ash is left upon the ground after the burning of heaVy timber- ed land, and as there are no potash manufactories in the Province, the alkali is lost. After the firing, the chief part of such ashes might be collected and most beneficially applied to the old lands. Coal ashes should also be kept dry, and mixed with lime they greatly improve moory and peaty lands. The coal ashes of the City of Halifax are carted to the lands of the penin- sula, where their fertilising effects are manifest. Burn- ing the surface, and applying the ashes to the remaining soil, has long been practised in Britain ; and this mode is peculiarly applicable to the peaty and boggy soils of Nova Scotia. > '.■ v '^ ■- :■> ■■'S MINERAL MANURES. '' ' ^:v'^»-./*r Lime. — It is universally acknowledged that lime is of the first importance to agriculture. It has been em- ployed in Europe from the earliest perit)ds up to the t fi.. ■?-' NOVA-SCOTIA. 1S5 pfosdnt time, with never failing success. Lime is abundant in Nova Scotia ; — it presents itself at numer- ous localities throughout the central, northern, and easter« parts of the Province, with the gypsums of the red sandstonei?, and also with the slates that traverse the entire length of the country. The variety of its colors, and external characters, have been checks to its discovery, by the inhabitants, and no public inquiry has been made by men of science by which it might be in- troduced to agriculture. Of late years the grants of land made by the crown have reserved the lime, and even the clay, with all the mines and minerals. These are. claimed by the General Miiiiag Association of Lon- don. This Reservation has, in some degree, checked the opening of limestone quarries, and the erection of lime kilns. The lime calcined in the Province is chiefly applied to building purposes, and the few kilns in oper- ation are 'mall in size and imperfect in construction. The greater part of all the lime used in Nova Scotia is imported from St. John, N. B. It is not necessary in this place to advert to the modes of applying lime to the soil, as they must always vary with its quality and the species of culture. Upon wet or imperfectly drained lands, the apphcation must be large ; thin and sandy soils are sufficiently impregnated with a small quantity, while fields, intended for grass, require heavy liming, — a single dressing will perform its task during a series of years. \^.i---'- !'.■ . .'<:^' •■ ' i.''mm" -•■:.;'•. •'" .^ -j-" .■<.>").> As many crops, and especially grain cr6})s, deprive the soil of a part of its lime, it is surprising that any of the fields of the older districts to which lime has never been directly applied, should continue to make any re- turn to the farmer. The chief cause of sterility seen in the fine old smooth fields, and which are pronounced to be "worn out," is the absence of lime in thc,.soiL 186 NOVA-SCOtlA. The limeslono of Nova Scotia may be extensively and cheaply applied to agriculture, and hereafter to it the farmer will be driven to find a stimulant for the soil ; it may, tlierefore, be ranked among the valuable resources of the country. Marl. — Whenever earth, or clay, contains as much lime as will cause it to effervesce in the acids, it is called marl, the value of which for manure will always depend upon the quantity of lime present. The rich- est marls of Nova Scotia have been found in shallow basins, or at the bottom of peat bogs. They are chiefly '■fa white or yellow color, and contain the exuviae of lacustrine shell fish. The common red marls, associated with the sandstones of the same color, contain but little lime ; the effects of marl upon the soil are frequently similar to those of lime ; the lime, however, in a caustic state, neutralizes the acids, and forms compounds that are soluble in water, and readily taken up by the roots of plants. It is, there* fore, in general, better adapted to the soils of Nova than the best marls. Muscle Mud. — In many of the rivers, creeks, and estuaries, the shells of muscles, and other molusca, with decayed marine plants, collect in groat quantities, and form valuable deposits of manure. Such collec- tions have been called muscle mud, which, in Prince Edward's Island, is applied to the soil with great ad- vantage. Shellfish, in a living state, are sometimes taken up with the mud, and thrown into heaps, where putrefaction takes place, and a powerful manure is the result. Besides the carbonate of lime, the shells of marine animals contain the phosphate of lime, a ne- cessary element of the soil. Composts formed of such materials, and peat, to which quicklime may be added NOVA-SCOTIA. ler imc, a ne- if there is not animal matter enougli to produce putre- faction, would afford great energy to fields that have, been deteriorated by long cultivation. SuELL Sand. — Along the sea coasts, and at tho moutiis of many of the rivers, tho sand is composed, in part, of shells, reduced to sand by the operations of the waves. Such sand has been found applicable to clayey soils, and especially to peaty ground. Marsh Mud. — Marino alluvium, or marsh mud, as it is usually called, consists of the fine particles of dis- integrated rocks brought into tho estuaries and river mouths by the tides, and which is sometimes mixed with the alluvial matter brought downwards by the descending streams. In this mixture there are always more or less marine plants in a decomposed state. These plants always impart a blue or black color to the alluvium, and form what is usually called bluo. marsh. Besides the ordinary constituents of common soil, the alluviums frequently contain common salt and chloride of lime. The finely divided state of the mass renders it favorable to the production of wheat and the grasses, after it has been reclaimed from the sea by the dikes, or embankments. The properties of marine alluviums vary according to the nature of the rocks whence the mineral matter is derived. The marshes bordering upon the rivers of the Basin of MinaSj where the sediment is brought in from the marly red sandstones, are superior to those of Cum- berland — the latter having resulted chiefly from tho dilapidation of the gray grits of the coal measures. Within a few past years marsh mud has been em- ployed as a manure. In Kings, Hants, Colcliester, and Cumberland counties, marsh mud is carted to, and spread upon, the upland, sometimes to the thickness. miit 18S NOVA-SrOTIA, ,>■! of four inches ; and its nlfocts upon tlio crops of wheat, onts, and ihn grasses, arc very favorable. It is most bnncfKMally a]»plied to thia sandy soils, which it ren- ders retentive of moisture and invigorates with new action. It may be dug in the coldest days of winter, and is coinpletcly pulverised by the frost. GvpsuM. — Gypsum is abiuidant in the middle, northern, and eastern counties. It occurs in the red sandstones, and is frequently associated witli lime- stone. On the banks of the Avon, St. Croix, and Shubenacadio, there are mountain masses of this mine- ral, and its supplies are everywhere inexhaustible, liesides the variety of color and crystalline forms, there are, as in other countries, two varieties of the gypsum — the hydrous and the anhydrous, known by the quarrymen as hard and soft plaster : the latter is exported annually in great quantities to the United States, where it is calcined, ground, and extensively used to stimulate the soil. An opinion has prevailed that gypsum is of no value to the soils of Nova Scotia ; but the few experiments that have been tried with this mineral have been so imperfect that no satisfactory conclusion can be drawn from them. In the vicinity of laminated, or foliated gypsum, which constantly disintegrates before the elements, the soils frequently contain a due proportion of the sulphate of lime, and the sulphate of lime is sometimes mixed with the drift of the country. Around the rock the soil is often sterile, from the superabundance of the calca- reous mineral. In such situations the application of gypsum would be useless ; but to the soils that are unimpregnated with that mineral, and which are to be found in every quarter, it might be advantageously applied. A series of careful experiments directed to *Sp NOVA-SCOTliL 189, US use, nre worthy the attention of agricultural socioi tics and farmers in general. Before the gypsum is applied, it must he calcined and ground. In tlie pown dcred state its oiTccts upon the lands of the western American States are immediate, and a dressing of it endures several crappings. It has been observed that the lands manured by gypsum, after a certain period become almost barren, and this result has been ascrib- ed to its free use ; yet, it is morp probable that sucli lands have been impoverished by other causes, and are still capable of being renovated by the use of ne.\v stimulants and fertilisers. When caustic lime is applied to the soil, it imme- diately seizes the acids present ; it is therefore said to " sweeten" the land. Some of the compounds formed are soluble in water, and are therefore applicable to the tender roots of plants which are fed with lime and organic matter. The modus operandi of the sulphate of lime is not so manifest. It absorbs moisture and ammonia from the atmosphere, and by decomposing the saline compounds of iron and other minerals, it may not only disp.r|;n hurtful salts, but render them promoters of vegetation.* The anhydrous, or hard gypsum, differs only from the hydrous by containing less water. A mill for grinding the latter has been erected on a tributary of the Shubenacadie, by Mr. George Duncan, and the application of powdered anhydrite to the soil promises useful results. , Paring, Burnino, Calcined Clay.-— When sward, or sods arc burned, the residue consists of calcined earth and the ash of plants, which exert a beneficial influ- ence upon vegetation. Burned clay has been extolled for manure ; but in new countries where the popula- *Spc Lifibcg'.s Agricultural Chemistry, p. 61. ' m 190 NOVA-SCOTIA. tion. is scant/, and there is an abundance of land foK tillage, the improvement of new fields will be prefer- red to the cuhivation of old ones, by paring and burn- ing ; and the employment of vegetable and mineral manures in Nova Scotia will precede the use of fertil- izing substances now carefully sought for in the densely populated countries of Europe. ;• ;;•■ ••'' I WILD LANDS. %/i» ^iccount of the quantiljj nf Land granlcd and ungrauted «i Ihc several Counties of the Province of JVova Scotia, 1849. Counties. Area in acres. No. of acres granted. No. of acres ungranted. Annapolis, Digby. I 1,2,'39,;320 900,515 359,005 J,iincnbuvg, 642,0.54 240,477 402,077 Kings, 47'.>,r)20 376,734 99,786 SHclbnmc, Yarmouth, \ 6oS,l.>(; 38,5,000 353,991 689,10.5 Queens, 5,51.341 309,000 242,344 ilalittix, '\ M-)6.12S. (Jolchestcr, S 77r>,206 1,550,411 1,340,901 I'ictou, ^ 63.5,888 ( himbcrland, U4,5,3()8 413,771 531,-597 Hants, G4'J,S40 417,431 202,409 Sydney, CJuysborougli, I 320,41 1> 748,166 644,004 424,578 9,534,196 5,236,334 4,297,862 To those who are unacquainted with the system of clearing wild lands, the task of reducing the massive trees of the forest, and bringing the soil into cultiva- tion, will appear almost hopeless. When the new settler first enters the forest, he sees his land covered with lofty trees, whose dense foliage shut out the rays of the summer's noon day sun. In winter he must WOTA-SCOTiAk 101 wade through dcop snow, or cautiously step upon its creaking and brittle crust. Everything around him is buried in deep gloom, w'hich is increased by the roaring of the waterfall — the dashing of some rapid stream, or the glimmering of the unruffled lake. Here the chopper plies the axe. The tender sapling, and the monarch of the forest that stood for ages, totter and fall before him ; and heaps of wood, suffi-^ cient to supply the navies of the world, overspread the earth. => f >^ i >; • *^f »: . '^ ; ; . • ■' ;, Lands are chopped at all seasons of the year. The prevailing mode consists in cutting the underbrush in the beginning of winter, before ihe snow falls deep ; and the large trees in the ensuing spring, before the sap has ascended to the branches. In August, or Sep- tember following, the chopping is fired, and when a "good burn" is obtained, little remains upon the land but charred logs and brands. In autumn these are drawn together by oxen, or roiled by manual labor into piles, when they are fired, and reduced to ashes. This labor is frequently performed by assembling the nearest neighbors, who assist each other in combining labor with pleasure in the rolling frolic, which usually terminates in a dance, aptly called '' shaking otF the charcoal." When a young man can pile one-fourth of an acre of an afternoon, dance twenty jigs in the evening, and wait upon his partner home, he is con- sidered fit for a " new beginner." Thus is the land prepared for a crop to follow the ensuing season. Choppings are sometimes made in winter and cleared off in the spring to obtain a crop the same year. In this case the wood is more difficult to cut, and the labor is conscciuently increased. Heaps of ashes always remain upon the soil after these t; ■: w M i ' I.' li'i!- 19 '2 nx)Va-t8Cotia; burnings. In Canada tlie ashes are secured from the weather in log sheds, whence they are carried to the ashery and manufactured into potash. There is not at present a potash manufactory in Nova Scotia, and all the alkali of the new settlements is lost. There can be no doubt that a few such establishments would be successful, and were the ashes of the forest preser- ved they would be found valuable for the old lands of the populous villages. Lands cleared of their timber as above almost inva- riably yield good crops of \vheat, and other grain — potatoes, and other vegetables. The cost of fitting an acre for the harrow is from £2 10s. to £4, according to the growth and quality of the timber. The high- est outlay for clearing is fully paid by the first crop. In seven or eight years the stumps of the trees are sufficiently decayed to admit of being removed, and the plough may be introduced to the virgin soil. Several machines have been proposed for extracting the stumps from the earth before they are rotten, but none of them have been successful j and, like the ladies who petitioned against the use of chloroform, the backwoodsmen choose to take things in the good old way. The stump machine of Sir Henry Vere Huntley, late Governoir of Prince Edward Island, promised to extract stumps in the manner the dentist dislodges teeth, but it failed in practice. Every traveller in these jvrovinces will be struck with the ragged appearance of forest and field borders, fields half cleared, and the L'lvenly appearance of the new settlements. This unsightly state of things will always exist in new countries, and where the settler and squatter prefer clearing a new piece of ground to the cultivation of luiid from which the tiuibcr has beeii removed. trees NbVA-SCOTli. 193 The soil and climate of the Province have been un- sparingly condemned by hasty travellers, and an opinion has prevailed that there is a large tract of land in the counties bordering on the Atlantic that is alto- gether unfit for cultivation. Experience has proved that the chief part of the wHole surface may be suc- cessfully cultivated, and that much of the land is of a superior quality. The above spinal tract, which ex- tends through the whole length of the Province, forming the high lands of the interior, embraces nu- merous belts of hard wood land arid swelling promi- nences, with tillable surfaces. The kind and size of the wood has generally been considered to form an index whereby the quality of the soil may be ascertained, but in general this guide is delusive. The soils beneath the black and yellow birch, and the larger maples, or where those trees are intermixed with the ash, hemlock, oak, and beech, have been considered to be of a superior quality. Beeches, pines, firs, and spruces, white birch and pop- lar, have been viewed as the occupants of inferior lands ; but these trees have their favorite abodes, which depend much upon dryness and moisture, and they are far more thrifty in some situations than in others. ' - Whenever the original trees of the forest, of what- ever kinds they are, have been felled, or destroyed by fire, a new growth of other trees succeeds them. Land cleared of its lofty pines and spruces is soon^co- vered by poplar, larch, maples, wild cherry, (fcc. Su- gar maple, beech and birch, are succeeded by red pine, the spruces, fir, and raspberry bushes. The original trees do not appear in the second growth ; but after the second growth is removed, they spring up again. • "; ■) ' \ |.U-T St 194 NOVA-SCOTIA. ,i'iJ 's ii'i' Similar facts were observed by McKenzie as far nortl'i as the Slave Lake. If the character of the soil could be determined by the trees growing upon it, it would be necessary to know whether those trees were of primary or secondary growth. This cannot be determined, for the woods have been fired by lightning, and the care- lessness of the natives for centuries past, and from time to time tract after tract has been laid waste by the de- vouring element. The forest lands are covered by decayed leaves and seeds : the latter are sometimes buried deeply in the earth, but they cannot vegetate so long as the surface is shaded, and they are deprived of heat and light. The fiire only destroys the seeds that lie upon the surface. Those that are situated beyond its influence spring up immediately, after the solar heat and light are let down upon them. The wild animals and birds, many of which do not destroy the germs of seeds by digestion, transport them from one place to another.* The feathered tribes were the first to establish vegetation upon the newlj'-formed coral reefs of the Pacific Ocean, and to them we are indebted for the dissemination of many useful grasses and berries now growing in the northern regions of the great American continent. Usually the first crop taken from new land is wheat, which yields from 20 to 30 bushels per acre. Oats are sometimes raised upon moist ground ; and upon the light sands like those of Aylesford, rye m.akes a profitable return. All the vegetables grow well on burnt ground, especially turnips. Small patches are frequently cleared upon the old farms for the production of the Ruta Baga, Aberdeen, and white stone varieties. * In August, 1825, the author shot a wild pigeon in Kings Countyi which had its crop filled with the chaff and kernals of rice. This bird had, probably, just arrived from the Southern States. NOTA-SCOTIA. 195 Of all the annual plants fitted for bread, wheat is the moat important. When the early inhabitants took pos- session of Nova Scotia, and as late as the beginning of the present century, wheat gave a sure and bountiful crop, even upon lands of a medium quality. The cli- mate has gradually meliorated since that, period, yet the crop has become less abundant and less certain. For- merly the overturned sward of good upland would pro- duce an excellent crop. At the present time all the old lands, except the best of diked marsh, require high manuring and careful preparation to produce wheat, and the average crop has gradually decreased. A simi- lar decline in the growth of, this grain is manifest on all the old lands of the western States, many of which have ceased to produce a remunerative return. This decline in the production of wheat is distinct from its failure from the ravages of insects and the rust, — the i^ormer have been very destructive during the last four years. Whether this decline has taken place from changes ia the climates, or the constant abstraction of lime from the soil, and its deterioration by repeated croppings, it is difficult to determine. From the fact that the new lands, or burnt grounds, are as productive as ever, it would appear that the falling off of the old land crops has arisen from an impoverishing system of tillage, which might be remedied by the application of more science and skill. Winter wheat is so far a biennial, that it requires to be sowed in the autumn. Many trials of its cultivation have been made in Nova Scotia, but in general they have been without success. Evidently this does not arise from the rigour of the climate, nor the depth of the snow — the latter, on the contrary, protects the plants. Thp cold rains and sharp freezings that prevail :i.fter the snow has disappeared, and the heaving of th? 'Hi ■ ^' 196 NOVA-SCOTIA. ground by tho frost, whereby the roots of the plan^ aro exposed, seem to be the chief causes of its failure. When sown upon good ground both winter and sum- mer rye, make very certain and ample returns. The former should be sowed early in September, and feci down by young cattle : sheep always clip too near the roots. If the scrubby evergreens upon light soils be felled and burnt off, or pasture lands ploughed and sowed with winter rye, they will generally yield from 20 to 60 bushels per acre. These are profitable crops, and they may often be obtained with comparatively little labor. The light sands of Aylesiord will yield a hand- some crop of winter rye once every three or four years. The value of this grain has been underrated. If it be cut ii'hen the kernel is in a waxy state, the bread made of the ilour is nearly as palatable, and quite as whole- some, as that of common wueat. Summer rye is also well adapted to light sandy soils. Many of the old fields that formerly produced good whei^t, are now, from their impoverished state, sown with summer rye. This substitution prevails as far as the western par(; of the State of New York. No sys- tem of cropping teiids more effectually to impoverish the soil ; and when it is not strengthened by manures, to render it at last absolutely sterile. An old farmer in Curaberland once told me that ** one half of the peo- ple were preparing their lands for an everlasting crop of laurel and heckle berries. At first they fed upon wheat bread, and their cattle upon clover ; then came Indian meal and timothy ; then rye and brown top ; and at last they will be obliged to live upon blue berries, without milk ; and their only meat will be half-starved rabbits." . ,, -; The climate and soil are well adapted for barley : both the four and two-rowed varieties may be cultivated NOVA-SCOTIA. m yith profit. Barley forms an important part of tli«> grain crop of Prince Edward's Island. Making an ex- ception of the county of Pictou, but little of this grain \s raised in Nova IScotia. It has been stated by a late writer on the Provinces, that oats are not prosperous in either of the Canadas, as the great heat of summer dries up the pannicles, and sti£&cient nourishment is not therefore conveyed to the ears. Oats flourisn in Nova Scotia, and especially upon the wet grounds. They will yield from 20 to 40 bushels per acre, and weigh from 3.2 to 40i lbs. per bui^hel. Buckwheat also gives a good crop under ordinary circumstances. There are two kinds, the black ai^d the brown ; the former is pre- ferred for bread, but the brown variety returns the largest crop, and will grow on thin soil. Among the plants peculiar to America, the early voyageura^ discovered maize, or Indian corn, a hardy kind of which was cultivated by the originial Microacs of Nova Scotia. Indian corn had always held an in- ferior position among bread stuffs, until of late. The decline of wheat has promoted the cultivation of this corn ; and its recent introduction into, and use in. Great Britain, have rendered it a staple article of com- merce. This valuable plant has an extensive range in America, but its ripening will be uncertain at any point beyond lat. 4^^ north. Its ripening has not always been perfect in this Province, yet in many iustances this may be traced to late and careless planting. More than ordinary attention has been paid to the growing of Indian corn since the blight in potatoes, and the result has been that in the two past years from 30 to 70 bush- els of ripe corn have been produced from an acrot and its cultivation is rapidly increasing. The farmers of the western counties are most successful in raising this crop. They understand the secret of putting a shovel i^i ^98 NOVA-SCOTIA. full of good stable, or, what is better, pig manure, under each hill, and when they hoe it the first time they take away and replenish the upper crust around the tender stalks. Besides affording good and wholesome bread, the crop is always profitable for its contributions to the fowl house and piggery. The stalks are also nutritious fodder for cows. The young plant is not killed by any frost that appears in May, for although the first leaves may be destroyed, vigorous shoots will rise from the centre of each stalk. Notwithstanding hops grow well, they are only culti- vated for donjestic use ; nearly all those employed in the breweries of Halifax and St. John are imported. Hemp might be cultivated with complete success. The trials made in growing that plant, by some of the first English settlers, were highly satisfactory. No attempts are now proposed to introduce this valuable plant to the industry of our farmers. The climate is also favorable to the growth and coating of flax. Before the manu- facture of cotton cloths was brought to its present state of perfection, and the price of such cloths greatly re- duced, every farmer raised his patch of flax. A visiter to almost any farm house would have to cross the bleach- ing flat, covered with fine linens and diapers, and he would find the kind matron seated at her wheel and dis- taff. The cotton spinners of Britain have driven these domestic manufactures out of use, and the attention of females has been directed to the improvement of their woollens. ■? "'' *'*'^'i "- '■ •'- '•s'i^ 'j; / j.*-' (/•^ ' ■ «..i-^ ' The leguminous plants are prolific. Peas sown broad cast upon good ground, will yield from 15 to 30 bushels per acre, and all the garden varieties are raised to per- fection. Although beans have never been extensively grown, they are a certain crop. The decline of the potato during the last three years has led to their more general cultivation, 140VA-SC0T1A. m Of all the roots used for food, the potato has stood pre-eminent. Although a native of America, it was first cultivated in Europe, and afterwards trained to a variety of climates. It was brought back to its native abode, and planted in great quantities over the whole of North America, proving itself to be the best store for the farmer, and the domestic animals that hover around him. Its rapid annual growth, productiveness, and power of resisting decay, greatly enhanced its value; and 80 bountifully had it contributed to the supply of food, that its sudden failure was the precurser of famine. The climate of Nova Scotia is peculiarly favorable to the growth of the potato. For variety in kind,* abun- dance in crop, and palatableness, the potatoes of this Province have never been excelled. The plant flou- rishes in every kind of soil, without manure. It grows among the ashes of the burnt ground — in the sands of the sea shore — low down in the vallies, and high up among the rocks of the mountains ; but the greatest returns have been taken from rich loamy lands. The medium crop is about 200 bushels per acre ; 400 bush- els have been raised, and perhaps even double that quantity might he obtained Irom a suigle acre. i^^- ' Since the year 1835, a disease called the dry rot, or ueld rot, began to infest this valuable tuber. In the summer of 1845, a disease, which many believed to be peculiar to that season, attacked both top and bottom of the plant simultaneously in Europe and America, and destroyed three-fourths of the crops of that year. The crops of 1846 and 1847 suflfered in a similar manner. Famine and great distress have been the result in Ire- land, and other parts of the world. The most elaborate *NoTB. — Upwards of 50 kincU of potatoes arc raised in Nova Scotia. Besides the tribes of blucnoscs and blackiioscs, cups and inidkiffs, there arc London ladies, with calicoes and pinkeyes. Manj other varieties have been raised from the seed of the balls. 9 ■*■• fM NOVAICOtli. aud scientific enquiries have been made to ascertain Ihr bau0e of this disease, and to discover its remedy, but Without success. Some have supposed the disease to be atmospheric ; others that it is insectile. Some able chemists suppose it to aHse from an excess of moisture, or from excessive cultivation. The Indians are of the opinion that KesouUi or the Great Spirit, has got angry with the earth, for the wickedness of its inhabi- tants. This diversity of opinion is evidence of the great Ignorance that prevails in regard to the nature of the blight. Since the fdilure of the jjotato crop — which, it is ho^ea, will only be temporary — the rUta ba^a, or Swedish turnip, is morti extensively cultivated than in former years, wtien it only occupied a small space in the kitch- en garden. This root is as productive in Nova Scotia as in England, and would be found very valuable for fattening dxen and sheej), and for the support of stock during the winter. The AbeHeen, \vhite btone, and indeed all the European varieties also thrive well. Neither the mangul wurtiel, the sugar beet, nor car- tots, have befen brought into field culture. Onions, parsnips, carrots, beets, cabbages, cauliflowersj cucum- bers, melons, squashes, and all the culinary vegetables of Britain, ai-e cultivated with perfect success. Broom corn is raised in the eastern Amef^ican States, and mn- tiufactured into corn brooms, with which these Provin- ces are supplied. The platit comes to full perfection, and might be raised to Supply art article, for which Nova Scotia now sends her money abroad; A steady improvement has been made in horticulture during the last fifteen years. Apples and pears of the best kinds are grown in the western counties, especially in Hants, Kings, and Annapolis, where the price of ftider does not exceed ten shillings per barrel. The rii, v\ XbVA-SCOTiA 201 ^.'ultivation of fruit has been neglected in the eastern districts. Peaches, quinces, phiins, apricots, cherrief, find other fruits, grow luxuriantly in the open air. Their varieties and cultivation have boon much impro- ved by the lion. Charles 11. Prcscott, of Cornwallis, the father of horticulture in the western part of the Pro- vince. This gentleman produces the Isabella grape in the open air, and from it a wine is expressed that is scarcely rivalled by the imported kinds. Besides the currants, gooseberries, and strawberries that grow wild, the Linglish kinds have been planted, and produce boun- tifully. Numbers of exotic shrubs and trees have been transplanted into the Province of late, especially in the neighborhood of Halifaoc. In general they are thrifty, jind being associated with the indigenous woods, they are highly ornamental. An improved state of the pub- lic taste is now manifest. Only a few years ago, when a traveller passed along the main post roads, he was wearied with the sight of the log house, the stump field, and the silent forest ; he is now cheered by the pretty garden, the clean house yard, and the gay flowers pre- sented at the windows, even of the humblest dwellings. Much of this owes its origin to gentlemen like the indi- vidual just mentioned, the effect of whose examples will be seen for ages after they themselves have disap- peared. '-'' • • • In a country where the winters are long and severe, the grasses are of much importance to the farmer. The natural grasses are very numerous, and occupy all the unimproved pastures and intervales. Many of the low grounds and wild meadows supply fodder of wild grass ; they are, therefore, very advantageous to the new set- tler. The marshes also have their grasses ; -^nd in summer, cattle and sheep find their livings in the green herbage of the forests, Of the artificial grasses, clover^ 2 I 'Y 202 NOVA-SCOTIA. w, timothy, and brown top, arc considcrod tiio mobt va- luable. On somo of the dyked marshes the former will yield from two to four tons of hay per acre. The after, or fall feed on such lands, is peculiarly valuable for fattening cattle. On the uplands the red clover is sometimes uprooted by the severity and heaving of the frost. A rotation, embracing clover, and the white and green crops, is seldom practised. Thousands of acres of pasture lands might have their value enhanced by a single ploughing, which, with the cost of fen- cing, would be compensated by a crop of oats, sown with clover and timothy in the spring. The highland pastures of wild grass are excellent, and in autumn they frequently return the stock of cattle and sheep that feed upon them, in high condition. Before the failure of the potato crops, the farmers were enabled to supply the market at all seasons of the year with stall-fed beef. A great quantity of ex- xjellent manure was also secured. From the lack of the above root, the iall market is glutted with grass- fed meat, and the supply of pork has been diminished. Farm Stock. — The first horses ever bred in Nova Scotia were those of the French, and of the old Nor- mandy, since called the Canadian breed, a mosl hardy and enduring race. The American settlers brought in the American (originally English) breeds ; to those were added a few animals imported direct from ditfer- ent parts of the United Kingdom. During the resi- dence of His late Royal Highness the Duke of Kent in Nova Scotia, he imported several valuable stallions, and the mixed breed was much improved. Since that period, a few fine horses have been introduced by the Legislature, and some excellent horses are now se6n in every part of the country. Still the whole race, N()VA-S€0T1A. 203: whon taken togothnr, is inferior. Many of them are. small, ill-shaped, and nnsonnd. Few farmers attend carefully to the breedmg of horses ; and as every householder must have "a beast," whether ho can feed it or not, it is not surprising that so many crij)- pled and half-starved quadrupeds of this kind are seen in every settlement. However inferior the animal, to the new settler a horse is invaluable. With him he draws the charred logs together, harrows down his grain, collects his firewood, carries his wheat to mill, and affords his wife tho medium of associating with the scattered society of the back woods. For such objects tho old Canadian breed is superior to any other. The horned cattle are also of a mixed breed. Al- though they are inferior to those of Ehigland, many of them are well formed, of large size, and the beef is excellent. The breedc of cows brought to the Pro- vince by the first American settlers, were admirably adapted to a new country. They w re extremely hardy, and far from being bad milkers. By the enter- prise of agricultural societies and individuals, this breed has been crossed by the Durhams, Ayrshires, and other stock, and improvements in dairy hus- bandry are everywhere manifest. A corresponding im- provement has also been made in the breed of sheep. To a better description of wool the female part of the population have applied their ingenuity and industry, and the quantity of homo-made cloth has been more than doubled within the last five years. There can- not be a doubt that sheep husbandry may be rendered successful and profitable in, Nova Scotia. Many of the uncultivated plains of the Province are capable of fettening sheep during the summer months. The ^^K, 4 liiLti^" 204 NOVA-SCOTU. I ;• domestic manufactured cloths are wa>*m and durable, and some of the handsomest varieiies have become fashionable among the sporting gentry of London, and are closely imitated by English manufacturers. The old lean, long-legged, and squealing tribe of swine has been, to a considerable degree, supplanted by Berkshires, and other breeds. The pork is excel- lent. Nova Scotia is evidently well fitted for dairy husbandry, and the production of fine wool ; for the former, the inhabitants of Annapolis pnd Cumberland, are already celebrated. Much of the young stock reared in Annapolis is driven into Kings, where it is fattened for the Halifax market. The stall-fed oxen of Cornwallis are superior to any in the Province. Geese, ducks, turkeys, md dunghill fowls, are raised on almost every farm, ^nd the markets are frequently over-supplied with poultry. •» ^':.i.»,4 'i^/r ;. i- Until very lately the farming utensils used were very imperfect. The old German plough, with a wooden roller under the beam, is still adhered to by many farmers of the county of Lunenburg. The ploughs of the Acadians arc of equally antique model. The harrows are also of ancient stamp. Th- intro- duction of English, Scotch, and American ploughs, has been, beneficial, by improving the models of such as are manufactured in the Province. Similar remarks would apply to other implements of husbandry. At present, numbers of these articles are imported from the United States ; — these are of inger.ious construc- tion, light, strong, and efficient. With an abundance of materials, every facility for manufacture, good mo- dels, and p- ready demand, scarcely any attempt has ever been made in Nova Scotia to manufacture the the instruments of culture upon a large scale. With m NOVA-SCOTIA. 20a brooms, mop sticks, cheese presses, wooden clocks, &c., they are imported from Boston, and other Ameri- can ports. 1 have already adverted to the constant emigration of our young and hardy mechanics to those places, and many of whom are engaged in the manu- facture of wooden articles that are sent back to the remaining population, and sold at a profit. It is in vain to say that our trades and industry have been protect- ed more than our fisheries, where our American neigh- bors have found mines of wealth. Garden seeds are as eg^ily raised and ripened iri Nova Scotia as in any other part of the world, yet the. annual supply for Nova Scotia, with, the seeus of clo- ver, and other grasses, are imported. Many of them are brought in from the United States, having been put up at the neat establishments of the shaking quak- ers in Massachusetts. - Expenses and Profits of Crops. — It is difficult to obtain the actual expenses and profits of crops taken in regular rotation. Although liable to some varia- tions, the price of labor during the seasons of planting and harvesting, may be estimated as follows : — For a man per day, including board and lodging, 4s. ; for a yoke of oxpn, 2s. 6d. ; for a horse, 2s. Od. 1 .Si, Cost of cultivating an acre of Indian corn — - - - £0 7 6 Ploughing, - - - Manuring 16 loads — half the manure to be charged to the crop — 8 loads, at 28. 6d. Carting manure, ... Planting, Ga. 3d., Seed, Is. 3d., Hoeing three times, - - Gathering and husking, Interest on land, at £10 per acre, 1 10 - 7 « 17 6 - l,"* 13 £4 9. a *^Q6 NOVA-RCftTIA. 'i *"., Product — - - ^ ', Corn-stalks for fofldor, valuo, - - £l 0^ Average crop of corn, 40 bushels, at .'is., 10 Q '.. ■ ,.; --r- '■•'••■.-■ .■ ^ •■ £11 Profit on corn, - - 6 10 Estimated expenses for an acre of potatoes- Ploughing, ----- £0 7 .1^; Manuring, 20s., — hoeing, 20s,, - - 2 Seed, 12 bushels, at 2s,, - - 14 ' ' t>igging, 60s., — Interest on land, 12s., 3 12 ft ' ' Medium product — ' ' , ' 250 bushpls, at Is. 6d. per bushel,* 18 15 - - - '' c r • ' '• Profit on potatoes, - £11 11 Estimated expenses of an acre of Ruta Baga 20 loads nianure, half charged to crop, £2 10 ' - ^ Preparing ground and planting, - 1 10 Seed, 48.. hoeing 40s., harvesting, 45s., 4 9 Rent of land, 15s., - - - 15 ; -, 9 4 •^'.;i^; Product — ,. rr-»; 800 bushels, at 9d per bushel} - 20 13 4 ^ JB17 9 'Estimated expenses of an acre of oats — Ploughing Mid harrowilig, - - 12 3bushelsofSeed, at28. 6d., - - 7 Cradling and binding, - - - 7 Carting, &r.., 4s. ; threshing, 8s., - - 12 Interest oa land, - -, -. -. 12 4 6 6 ?=■ ' £2 11 (> * Product— 40 bushels, at 2s. 6d., ' £$0 Straw equivalent to tlireshing, 8 (J — 5 8 n.< Profit £2 16 6 * This is taken as a medium price. Since the appearance of the blight, the product has been diminished, and the price proportionably increased. jy NOVA-SCOTIA. Kstiinated expenses of an acre of wh&ai — Ploughing and harrowing, - - - 10 Seed, 16s., harvesting and threshing, 25s., 2 10 Prdduct- 20 bushels, at 8s, Profit, 2ur £2 11 8 £5 9 J , 11 6 *>• aga— 10 10 Vf 9 f 15 To promote practical, scientific, and successful agri- culture, it is necessary to convey to every farmer a knowledge of the elements to which his industry is applied, but which, at present, is beyond his reach. For this object, an Agricultural Chemistry Association has recently been formed in England, and in Ireland a Chemico-Agricultural Association. Such also were the views of the late John Young, Esquire, the Agri- cola of Nova Scotia. At present, our farmers have nothing to guide them but the practices of their fore- fathers, and what they term their own experience — an experience not derived from careful observation and experiment, but often hastily embraced in ignorance of cause and effect. Such experience is of little value, for no experiment in chemistry or agriculture can lead to any useful result, except by chance, that is not con- ducted under an acquaintance with the materials em- ployed. ;V- .; ; ^*>M}-.^K ■ ? .h ■ ' An agricultural laboratory, managed by a practical chemist, would require but a moderate share of legis- lative aid. In such an establishment the minerals, limestones, marls and the various soils and manures, together with the constituents of the most valuable vegetable productii»ns, upon the payment of a small fee, might be accuiately analysed, anri the farmer would have uccoys to every report cuunectcd with his "im N'OVA-'SCOtiA'. industry. Scientii : researches might be entered upon; and a series of lectures delivered in every section of the Province, for which the winter months offer an appropriate season. From such offices the farmer would derive incalculable benefits. The Scotch Asso- ciation, whibh has been in operation many years, has returned to its promoters, by the diffusion of useful knowledge, an ample reward for their zeal and patriot- ism. The demand fot, and the employment of, ma- nures, with which farmers cannot be acquainted, render the labors of the professional chemist extremely neces • sary. With the same end in view, agricultural surveys have been made from year to year of the States within the bord( r of the neighboring republic, and the infor- mation and encouragement conveyed in the reports that have followed, and have been widely circulated by their LegislatureSj have quickened the pace of agricultural improvement. The chemical or analytical establish- ment alluded to, might be advantageously connected with an experimental farm, which, besides a trial of different kinds of culture, might have some experi- ments devoted to our own and foreign varieties of plants. That the Agricultural Societies in the different counties of the I ovince have been in some degree beneficial to the farming interests, and especially to the improvement of the breeds of domestic animals, there can be no doubt ; but not more than one farmer in ten has been induced to enrol himself ; and when party and political feelings are not the causes of their remaining aloof, they generally believe that the kind of information best calculated to aid them, is not to be obtained through such channels. True it is that the spirit of inqui'-y slumbers in their bosoms, and UOVkSCOTli. '20^ \hey choose to tread the old beaten track of their fathers, rather than avail themselves of modern dis- coveries. The agriculture of Nova Scotia has been depressed by the lack of markets and facilities for transporta- tion. There are no public works, nor manufactories to promote the local consumption of agricultural pro- duce. The requirements of the City of Halifax, and the small inland and sea-board towns, are altogether inadequate to the supply afforded by the agricultural surface, which might be rendered capable of yielding exports of bread stuffs. There are no railways, nor canals, and the cost of transporting the produce of the farmer paralyses his energies. These causes alone have induced many of our 'lardy yeomanry to emi- grate to the United States, where they find brisk mar- kets ^nd a cheap transport for the produce of their labor. Unfortunately, jealousies have arisen between the commercial, fishing, and agricultural interests, and local prejudices find their way into the halls of legis- lation. Principles of free, rather than of reciprocal trade, have been acted upon, even in the still infant state of the colony. To these evils have been added endless party bickerings, and a thirst for places of ease, emolument, and power. The advocates for ge- neral and practical enterprise have been swept away in the overwhelming current of agitation, and the energies of the most useful men have faded before the altar of popular bigotry. The remedies for this un- toward state of things are as manifest as the evils themselves ; and to those who will now successfully apply them, the gratitude of the country will be ever jUStlv due. V ■ ' ,:ur-urv'< . • ,•^'^^; I' ', ! 2a m 3 210 NOVA-SCOTlA. n>- r^r .■r,, "I /r, ..J CHAPTER VII. v < ^ Manufactories, Commerce, nud Industry — Timber Trade — Lumbering — Shipbuildi'ig— Population and Commerce of 13ritish America- General lleiniuks — Table of Exports from Nova Scotia, for year ending 5th January, 1849. MANUFACTORIES. "';.<: The manufactories of Nova Scotia have been chiefly confined to the simple operations of sawing wood into deals, boards, laths, and shingles, which are shipped to Great Britain and the West Indies. Excellent flour mills have been erected in the neighbourhood of Hali- far., Liverpool, and Annapolis, for the manufacture of flour from foreign grain ; but their operations are un- steady, being always affected by the fluctuations of commerce, and a non-protective tarifl'. The numerous grist mills in the country villages are only employed in grinding the grahi raised in the Province for the do- mestic supply, and they are usually very imperfect in their construction. In all the western counties there is a lack of oatmills. Many of those that were erected under the bounty of the Legistature, were suffered to fall into decay as soon at that bounty was received by their proprietors. The distilleries and tanneries in the vicinity of the ca- pital are not in brisk operation. Some of the former have been closed in consequence of the high duty levied upon their productions^ and the admission of foreign spirits. NOVA-SCOTIA. 21A Tanning is often conducted by the farmers themselves ; yet, there are small tanneries in every county, and the trade is frequently combined with shoemaking. . . Excellent castings are made at the iron foundries of Halifax, but all the iron employed is imported from Great Britain, notwithstanding the Province abounds in the best varieties of the ore. A pail manufactory was recently established on the Truro road, twelve miles from the city of Halifax, and large supplies of its productions have been sent to dif- ferent parts of the Province. Small potteries have been successful. The United States market is supplied with, grindstones from the county of Cumberland. The grindstones of the bank quarry at Minudie, owned by Amos Seaman, Esq., are superior to any others ever discovered on the continent of America. Other manu- factories have been attempted in the Province, but they have so far been unsuccessful — a circumstance that may bo ascribed to the high price of labor, and the want of sufficient capital to bring each operation to perfection. Carding machines have been introduced from the United States within the last twenty years. They are : ow in general use throughout the country, and have been a great rehef to the labor of making home-made, cloth, and fully compensate their owners. A clothing mill at the head of Bedford Basin has produced some, excellent blankets from the common wool of the coun- try. The improved manufacture of home-made woollens has been already adverted to. The general use of this kind of cloth has effected a great saving to the inhabi- tants, who formerly paid high prices for British woollens. Besides the plaids, checks, and grays, in common wear- ing, a quantity of cloth and hoyiery is supplied to sea- men and the fisheries. Straw hats, of domestic manu- &icture, are in common use among some of the farmers, • i„ m f\i ■ I 215i NOVA-iCOTJA. and a few superior straw bonnets are made in the west- orn counties. It may be admitted that the productions of the dif- ferent tradesmen are well and substantially made; yet they ordinarily lack lightness, finish, and the ingeuuity peculiar to articles manufactured in the United Stales, to which a great many of our best mechanics emigrate annually. Numbers of waggons, and other kinds of carriages, farming utensils, wooden clocks, and house- hold furniture of every description, are annually import- ed from Boston, and other American ports. I'hey at once recommend themselves, and are purchased at high prices, in preference to any made by the mechanics of the country. The consequences of this state of things are obvious, and will soon materially diminish the use of British manufactured goods. No general effort haa been made to encourage our own manufactures in pre- ference to those of a foreign power, which, by heavy duties, exclude almost all our productions, except coal, gypsum, and other articles that they cannot obtain from any other quarter. It is a reproach to these British Provinces, that ber sides immense supplies of bread stuffs, they import from the United States numerous articles that might be as cheaply manufactured within their own boundaries as in any other part of the world. Pig iron is imported from Great Britain into the American Union, cast into stoves, and then sent to Nova Scotia and New Bruns- wick for sale. The cord wood of Nova Scotia is fashion- ed into wheel heads, clothes pins, &.C., and then returned and sold at a profit. We might here enumerate other articles for which we supply the crude materials, and receive in return the finished work of the artizan — the true "Yankee notion." That any new country, how- ^y^x great its resQurces, can prosper under, suph a state KOVA-ICOTIA. 2LS. of cnrnmorce find manufacture, is impossible. A eon-, trary system has cliaracterized the siu'cess of the Ame- rican Republic. ",/, I <>•» 41 Maple Sugar Small quantities of maple sugar arc manufactured in ihe new settlements. A few families have each produced a ton in a single season. The pro- cess of manufacture consists in puncturing tha Acer Sacharinum^ or sugar maple, in the spring, with an axe, or an auger, draining off the sap by small spouts into wooden troughs, and then evaporating it in boilers. This sugar may bo made as white and as lively as any from the tropical climates. The kind usually made is sold in small brown cakes. The sap also affords a delicious syrup, and the " last run" niakes excellent vinegar. The Americans have begun to plant the maple ; and " sugar orchards" are beginning to spring up. The majestic forests of Nova Scotia, and especially those of the Cobequid Mountains, would yield, under proper management, an important supply of sugar. Charcoal is made for the use of the country blacksmith* only. fl ■ '■'4' jI Bricks, soap, candles, ale, and beer, are made at Halifax, but not in quantities sufEcient to supply the demand. The manufacture of linseed oil and potash, which has been successful in Canada, has scarcely been attempted ; nor is there a single paper mill in operation. There can be little doubt that industry would bo more profitably employed in manufacture than in collecting timber, or in the fisheries, in which to every prize there are many blanks. It would be at variance with the present design to shew the beneficial results that would follow a transfer of the labor required by the timber trade to agriculture. ^ m MOVA-JSCOTIA. COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. I have already noticed the industry applied to agri-, culture, the fisheries, and other pursuits, ar^i by the annexed tables a tolerably correct estimate r« ay be formed of the amount of labor applied to each of them. liUmbering, as it is called, still remains to be noticed. Jn the early settlement of the Province, the districts now covered with fine cultivated fields, and the banks pf the rivers and minor streams, were covered with dif- ferent members of the pine tribe, or groves of market- able hj^rd \yood. Most of these have been felled, and consumed by fire in clea.ring the land, or they have been shipped to Great Britain and the West Indies. Timber is now obtained at far greater ejjpense than formerly, and the prices received for it do not remunerate the lumbermen for their privations, labor, and risk. In the best of times, the actual hewer, or sawer of the wood, was not the gainer, and the fluctuations in the demand, and prices have allowed but few timber merchants to enrich themselves, whil^. bankruptcies have been fre- quent among them. The timber trade has drawn the labor away from agriculture. Thousands of farms have been abandoned or neglected. By it, habits of unsteadiness and intem- perance have been induced among a part of the laboring population ; and up to the present time, many families are depending upon the falling of showers of rain to float the wood rolled into the streams, or to set the saw mill iii motion, whereby they obtain their subsistence, rather than from the produce of the soil. In the neigh- bourhood of sea ports, fine farms have been deserted and turned out to common ; and instead of stacks of hay and grain, the dilapidated buildings are surrounded by iiov k-itc(yhk. ^i§ piles of the shavings of shingles and hoop polc8> the ref- 8uU of the means by which the proprietors obtain & scanty supply of the necessaries of hfe. Who are iho most independent men in the Province? Who arc they that live most conifortablj , and enjoy the highest de- gree of civilizaiion ? They are the farmers— o class of men who never meddled with either lumbering or fish- ing, but devote -H their energies to the tillage of the soil. The different kinds of wood have been described in a former chapter. The felling, hewing, sawing, and raft- ing of timber, are simple operations, performed either by parties of men sent out by the merchants, or by per- sons who collect logs, timber, and sawed wood, on their own account. Late in the autumn, or early part of winter, parties are despatched to the woods, with a supply of provisions, axes, horses, or oxen, and every- thing necessary for the enterprise. Hay is often trans- ported at a great expense, or the animals employed are fed upon oats, or Indian corn. A rude camp and hovel are soon erected, and covered with the bark of. trees. The men commence felling and hewing the pine, or collecting sawmill logs, which are rolled into the near- est stream to await the freshets of the ensuing spring, when they are transported downwards to the mills. As soon as the snow disappears in the spring, the logs and timber in single pieces are fbated over cata- racts, rocks, shoals, and almost every natural impedi- ment, to their places of destination. This stream- driving, as it is called, is the most unhealthy part of the " lumberers' " labor, and often induces fatal consump- tion, or rheumatism, by which numbers are disabled. Nor are accidents unfrequent in the felling of the trees. This labor had long been supposed to call for the use of ardent spirits, which were used very freely, until the ■', 1 ( 1 J 1 i n ] "i 'il6 KOVA-«COtlA. I M, mfiueiice of temperance societiuti began to be extended even to the wild woods. Lumbering is also carried on by many persons in the new settlements ; and mills that propel u single saw, are found upon almost every stream in the Province. Nor is it rare to find fishing, farming, and lumbering, pursued by the same individual and his family. When these occupations are combined, they are seldom profi- table ; agriculture is always neglected, extravagance and slovenliness are the frequent attendants, and ruin the sequel of the mixed enterprise. It may be consid- ered fortunate for the Province that the timber is yearly growing more scarce upon the borders of the settled districts ; and of late many lumbermen have been com- pelled to till the soil in order to win a maintenance for their families. The flourishing state of the timber trade arose from the high duties imposed on Baltic timber. In 1791 the duty on Baltic timber was only 6s. 8d per load ; that duty was gradually increased, and in 1812 ic amounted £2 148. 8d. per load. In 1820 it was £3 5s. per load, but in 1821 it v;as reduced to JC2 Ids. per load, and for the first time a duty of 10s. per load was laid upon American timber imported into Great Britain. By the financial system of Sir Robert Peel, introduced into Parliament in 1844, it was proposed to reduce the duty on foreign wood to 30s., on squared timber, and 35s. per load on deals, according to their cubic contents; and after one year to make a further reduction to 258. and 30s. respectively, and to levy Is. a load on timber, and 2s. a load on Colonial deals. Against this measure thtre were strong remonstrances, and a change was eflfected in favor of Colonial timber and deals. It can- not be supposed that the British consumer will much longer pay a higher price for his timber than it can bo NOVA-SCOTIA. 217 3upj)liocl for, if the duties on foreign timber were re- moved ; consefjuently the trade in thia article, «o long enjoyed by these Colonies, will be rendered more and more orecarious. The advantages that have arisen from the timber trade consist in the facilities afforded to emigration, and the training of a great number of seamen, which, in the event of 'war, would man a powerful navv. It has also, perhaps, opened the way to many excellent tracts of land ill the interior country. To the Provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, this trade has not been profitable under the greatest amount of protection; but by drawing away great numbers of the active part of the population to the back woods, agriculture has languished, and the general prosperity of the country has been retarded. Nor has the employment aflforded by it either improved the morals, or the circumstances of the community in general. The produce of a single coal mine in the county of Pictou has contributed more to thp revenue of Nova Scotia than all the forests of the whole Province. > Shipbuilding has long been a valuable branch of in- dustry. It has been pursued with much spirit, and in many instances with profit. The numerous sites, pre- sented everywhere — the abundance of wood, and the demand for ships required for the transportation of timber, deals, railway sleepers, &c. to the old countr)', have rendered Nova Scotia a shipbuilding Province. Such vessels as are now built under proper inspection, are equal in strength and model to any ever launched. But the British market has been overstocked, and its fluctuations have been increased by the present disturb- ed state of the European Powers. Mining scarcely forms a part of Provincial labor, for it is conducted solely by the General Mining Association 2r r\-^^ 218 NOTA-SCOTU. of London, who employ miners from the Mother Country. This subject Avill be fully entered upon in •another chapter. Large exports of gypsum are made annually to the United States. The trade occupies a number of quarry men, soine of whom have dug holes in the banks of the Shubenacadie a hundred feet up 'the sides of the perpendicular cliffs. From the low price of the mineral, these men seldom obtain more than an ordinary livelihood. Plaister is so abundant that it only requires to be blasted and broken up, when it is frequently shipped directly from the site of the quarry. The Americans effectually prevent the im- portation into their country of manufactured or calcin- ed and ground gypsum, by laying a high duty on the article. The labor of the Novascotian is theiefoie confined to shipping; the crude material. The British North American Colonies have always been remarkable for sudden and frequently ruinous depressions in their trade, according as the acts of Parliament, or their own Legislatures, have been fa- vorable to their commerce. Except for the fisheries, bounties and prohibitions now appear to be unneces- sary ; but protecting duties are required for the encou- ragement of Colonial industry. Nova Scotia abounds in the elements of manufactures, and with her mex- haustible supplies of coal and iron, her facilities for propelling machinery, and an agricultural surface capable of supporting a dense population, her advan- tages excel those of any of the eastern States of the American Union ; but har industry must be cherished and protected, or her active sons will con- tinue to leave her shores and seek foreign employ- ment. It is in vain to suppose that a free trade system will bo beneficial to a new and struggling colony, 1^ NOVA-SCOTIA. 219 which has nothing to export but raw materials ; it is rather calculated to enrich an old commonwealth, whose people by their skill and labor make such raw; materials valuable, and then return them for consump- tion. The result of the system alluded to has been that the suppliers of the raw material at last become hewers of wood and drawers of water to the manufacturers. At the present moment the Americans take from us gypsum, grindstones, and other unmanufactured arti- cles, (agricultural produce excepted,) at a low, or almost nominal duty. They have recently reduced the duty on coals one. half, because they require the article at our hands to maintain their manufactories and steam navigation ; but if our plaister be calcined and ground — if we even polish our grindstones, which are now cut over by themselves— rwe are told distinctly that we shall not manufacture for them, and upon every article thus manufactured by us they levy a duty of from 20 to 30 per cent. Nova Scotia, on the other hand, receives the manufactures of the United States at a low rate of duty. The consequences of such a state of commerce have been rendered manifest by the almost ulier destruction of our infant manufactories, and the emigration of our tradesmen. Certainly this is not a free trade, nor a reciprocal trade, of late so much boasted of; and if it be contimied, its conse- quences will not be less fatal to the interests of Nova Scotia, than the admission of slave-grown sugar into Britain, in competition with that produced by paid labor, has been to the prosperity of the British West Indies. It is evidently to the interest of Gicit Britain to cherish her transatlantic possessions. The shipping be- t.weea the pareiit country and her colonies, at present 220 NOVA-SCOTIA, exceeds the aggregate foreign shipping of Great Britain with the whole of Europe. The population of Ca- nada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, in 1841, wa^, 1,300,000. The immigration into those colonies has since averaged 50,000 per annum. The united popu- lation may now be estimated at 2,000,000. The total value of imports is equal to £4,000,000, and the ex- ports upwards of £3,000,000. The navigation of the Atlantic by steam has already effected a favorable change ; and the results that would follow the open- ing of a railway between Halifax and Ctuebec can scarcely be too highly estimated. Besides these, to render the prosperity of the Provinces permanent, and to make them a still brighter gem in the British Crown, their commerce and infant manufactories must be protected, their fisheries kept free from foreign aggression, and their agricultural and mineral resour- ces opened to the application of extensive industry. HUNTING, SPORTING, &C. When Nova Scotia was first inhabited, the produce of the chase, shooting and trapping were considered valuable resources, as in reality they afforded food, furs, and feathers. Formerly the teeth of the walrus, or sea cow, furs, and the skins of the moose and car- riboo, were articles of export ; but the clearing of wild lands, the introduction of agriculture, and the relent- less war waged against the native animals of every kind have reduced their numbers so low, that hunting can no longer be pursued with profit. Excepting the backwoodsman, and the Indian, few of the inhabi- NOVA-SCOTIA. 221 tants are disposed to leave their ordinary occupations ill search of game, unless it be h^re p.nd there a des- cendant of the old Ne\k' Englaiid stock, or some offi- cer of the garrison, who delights to carry away a pair of horns, or heels captured in the wilds of America. When British settlers first began to immigrate into the Province, game of all kinds were plenty. The rivers and lakes were alive with ducks and teal — the woods with partridges, and the marshes with plover. Moose were killed in great numbers, and venison was the only kind of flesh consumed by many families. There was then a wanton and wasteful destruction of the giants of the forest. Thousands were shot down for the sake of their skins ; and up to the present time the flesh is often left to putrify, or to be devoured by the carniverous races. ^ > '..... , ,.. The practice of hunting the elk with packs of dogs when the snow is deep, is very destructive. The Indians have petitioned the Legislature for the enact- ment of a law to prevent this mode of hunting the moose, by which they will soon disappear altogether, and the Micmacs be deprived of the food they have always considered to be their own. Without a pro- tecting law, assailed at all points and at every season of the year, it is remarkable that any of these noble animals have survived ; but they are still to be found in all the remote uninhabited districts, and frequently they not only approach the settlements, but emerge from the woods into the cultivated fields, and during- the rusting season they frequently cross from one line of forest to another, regardless of every danger. Not- withstanding their fleetness, in like manner have the Reindeer, or carriboo been destroyed. (•■■■ ;f ^.'ii'' U ''.'tm .^' 222 NOVA-SCOTI>. Moose are frequently killed in the month of Sep- tember. The hunter enters the deep recesses of the forest, and imitates their lowing in what is termed the " moose-call." The unsuspecting creature approaches the fatal spot, and is shot down. The exploit is con- sidered by many an ample requital for roosting in a tree day and night, or concealment in a coppice, where speaking and all movement are strictly interdicted. Even under such circumstances the hand of the ama- teur trembles at the sight of a pair of broad antlers, and the mammoth of the wilderness ^nillops oil un- hurt. • -.i- -r- - * ■-■ : = ": .' " ^> :.- ■ ••i'-: • In winter these animals form what is called a yard, which is merely a tract of ground upon which they feed, and beat down the deep snow while browsing upon the evergreen herbage. In such a yard they will remain all winter if not disturbed. Their great weight prevents them from travelling over deep snows, and when they are covered by a crust of ice the ani- mal seldom escapes from a parsevering chace. With moccr.?.ins and snow shoes, the hunter enters the yard and shoots the harmless herd. If any attempt to escape, they are followed and cut down with the tomahawk, or axe. This is a barbarous amusement, or savage butchery, from which a true sportsman would turn away in disgust. Indeed the gallantry of the work scarcely exceeds that of entering a farm yard and slaying a drove cf cows.* In light snow, when *I once followed an old female moose throiigh the snow until shp plunged into a drift and lay quite exhausted. The tongue jirojcctcil from the mouth, the eye-balls wore ready to burst their sockets, the muffle was distended, and the limbs ahnost paralyzod. It was with difficulty 1 could prevent an Indian, who accompanied mc, from slay- ing th.^ helpless creature. The flci)".! could not have bocn transported to the far-off" settlemout. Wo waited until the old cow rose and moved off", when the Micmac excluhued, " llngllshman 3omctinie» big NOVA-SCOTIA. 233 the animal can travel, the hunter pursues him in per- fect silence. The Indians are remarkably cunning upon a moose-walk, and creep upon their prey with the subtlety of serpents. The moose is not a fleet animal ; he has a sham- bling gait likT an ox. During the chace he will fre- frequently turn upon the dogs, take them up on his horns, and toss them into the air. He frequently weighs 1000 lbs., and the largest even 1500 lbs. The flesh is excellent food, and the muffle, or loose muscu- lar covering of the nose, is considered a dainty. The reindeer, or carriboo, seldom exceeds 400 lbs. in weight. It is a fleet animal, yet in deep snows it is overtaken by men and dogs. Droves of carriboo are sometimes seen sporting upon the mossy bogs of the interior. The flesh is far less palatable than moose venison. The Virginian deer, [cervus Virginianus,) common in New Briuiswick, is not seen in Nova Scotia. The beaver have all been destroyed. Poxes, mar- tins, and other small animals, are hunted and trapped for their furs. Bounties are given for the destruction of the wolf, bear, and lynx, or wild cat. A bear hunt sometimes aff'ords capital sport. Bruin will often walk off* with half a dozen balls, and he fights well to the last. There is still some good goose and duck shooting in the unfrequented rivers during the month of April. Pigeons have not been numerous of late, and the hardy partridge has begun to decline in the older set- tlements. Woodcock are on the increase. Twenty fool ; he hunt great deal for get fun — he freeze car and freeze toe, nnd when he catch moose he make bumblcc be, which all same one humbug." • ^ \ 224 HOVA-SCOTU. years ago it was rare to flush a single cock ; they now breed in every part of the Province, and begin to aflford some fine sport. Snipe are numerous on some of the intervales — the borders of the great marshes, and in the alder swamps. Plover of different kinds are very plentiful in some situations during the month of September^ and the great Esquimaux curlew is oc- casionally seen on the shores. To the man of leisure and the sportsman, Nova Scotia offers all that is desirable. Angling may be pursued successfully during the spring and summer months. The game in autumn is sufficiently plenty to keep the sportsmen upon the qui vive ; and in winter he may follow the moose upon snow-shoes " over the hills and far away" for whole days, enjoy- ing the hope and expectation of " getting a chance." The scenery of the country is beautiful. There are no game laws, and the inhabitants are univ(3rsally hos- pitable and obliging. \t: ck ; they I begin to J on some marshes, ent kinds [he month lew is oc- lan, Nova g may be i Slimmer tly plenty s; and iu aow-shoes ys, cnjoy- L chance." There are trsally hos- 2e 't \4^ '%; 1' «!''^W'') .*•«"'#;' :'i^ NOVA-SCOTIAt 229 CHAPTER VIII. Geology of Nova Scotia— Classification of Rocks— Granitic Rocks- Stratified non-fo8siliferous, or Cambrian Group — SUurian Group — Old Itcd Sandstone— Caxboniferous Rocks, or coal formation — Ex- tent and division of the Group — Gypsiferous Strata and Limestones —Fossils of the Coal Group— New Red Sandstone — Intrusive, or Igneous Rocks — Drift. Of all the resources of Novs Scotia, there are, per- haps, none of greater value and importance to the per- manent welfare of the country than those of the mineral kingdom. But, from their nature and situation, they are the most difficult to discover and bring into opera^ tioij. Timber may be felled — fish may he taken, cured, and shipped, and vegetables may be cultivated, by soli- tary individual industry, and almost without the aid of science, or capital : hence it is that the most common natural objects of a new country afford its first exports. Not so with mineral productions ; — their discovery — their removal from their native situations, and their ap- plication to useful purposes, require science, skill, and the outlay of great capital. From the first discovery of Acadia, or Nova Scotia, up to the present time, the mineral productions of the Province have been considered of great value. During the first voyage of UeMonts into the Bay of Fundy, in 1604, he found native copper at Cape D'Or, and ame- thysts, with other gems, at Parrsboro' and Cape Blomi- (lon. One of these gems was placed in the Crown of the King of France. It was erroneously supposed that \ ; il 230 NOVA-SCOTIA. gold and silver had their existence here. The name of the headland, Cape D'Or, is still retained. After the £nal conquest of Acadia, the most extensive reservations were made of the minerals to the British Crown, in almost all the grants of land, and not only of the pre- cious metals, but also of coal and the common ores. The exercise of the Royal prerogative in the reservation of the mines end minerals of Nova Scotia, has retarded discoveries by the inhabitants, and checked that kind of inquiry which has been so beneficial to neighbouring colonics. There is less known of the geology of Mova Scotia than of any of the bordering Provinces, or the United States. The latter have been submitted to public sur- veys and explorations. Geological inquiries in Nova Scotia have heretofore only been stimulated by the love of science, or the gratification of curiosity. They have never been aided, nor encouraged by the Government, from the supposition that the dibcovery of mineral wealth would be of little public benefit, so long as the exclusive right of mining is in the hands of those who derive their privilege from the Crown. B.ut separate from any mining advantages, a geological survey would amply repay its outlay by the benefits it would return to agriculture. The discovery and application of lime- stone, marls, and other fertilizing substances — useful rocks and salts — the analysis of the different soils, and even a topographical description of the country, would b.e sca,rcely less valuable than mines of ores and coal. The number and variety of the minerals of Nova Scotia, have, of late, attracted the attention of foreign- ers, by whom they are now eagerly sought for to form a part of the museums of colleges, and other public insti- tutions. Among the early collectors of the minerals, Solomon Thayer, Esq., may be mentioned. Specimens MOYA-SCOTIA. 231 collected in Nova Scotia, and described by that gentle- man, are noticed in Cleveland's Mineralogy, as early as 1822. Messrs. Jackson and Alger, of Boston, published some remarks on the geology and mineralogy of Nova Scotia in 1832 : they related chiefly to the minerals of the trap rocks skirting the Bay of Fundy. Hallibur- ton's history of Nova Scotia contains a brief notice of the geolo;jy of a part of the Eastern shores and Capo Breton, by Messrs. Smith and Brown. In 1830 the author published his remarks on the Geology and Min- eralogy of Nova Scotia. His work has been generally perused* ; and Sir Charles Lyell's travels in America give an interesting account of the coal formation, and the fossils of the group. Several geologists from England and the United States, among whom have been Professors Emmons and Hopkins, Mr. Logan, and Sir Charles Lyell, have visited different parts of the Province. The difference of opinion expressed in the communications of some of those gentlemen in reference to the relative age of cer- tain rocks, is accounted for by the haste of their tours, and the limited areas that fell under -their observation. The theories and plagiarisms that have been put forth by amateurs, are objects of amusement rather than of criticism. The surface of Nova Scotia is beautifully variegated by hill and valley. The steep escarpments, deep ra- vines, and mural cliffs, give some districts an alpine appearance ; still there are no mountains in Nova Scotia proper that exceed 1000 feet in height. The shores of the Bay of Fundy, Atlantic, and Straits of Canseau, arc frequently bold, rocky, and precipitous ; but the coast bordering on the Northumberland channel is low, and m • A new edition of tliis ptiblication, embracing the discovoriea madf subsequent to its date, is now called for. 232 NOVA-SiCOTIA. '^1 consequently ihu scenery is tame. Along the courses ot the rivers there are large tracts of salt marsh, (marine alluvium ;) and in those that empty into the Ray of Fundy, the tides rise tu the height of fifty, and even seventy-five, feet. The currents produced by this great elevation of the sea, exceed in rapidity any other in the world. The surface is furrowed by parallel mounds, extending from the south- \« est towards the north east, and parallel to the Atlantic coast. This is is also the general direc- tion of the strata throughout the whole region ot North America, including the ranges of the Alleghanies. My object in this chapter will be to give such a brief sketch of the geology of Nova Scotia as shall aid in the devel- opement of her industrial resources. A full illustration of this subject would require a volume. For the purposes of description, 1 have divided the rocks of the Province into eight different groups, or for- mations. A communication I made to the Geological Society of London, in 1843, was accompanied by a geological map, illustrating the situations of these groups, so far as discoveries had then been made. The map was published by the Society in their proceedings Vol. IV. Part I. A similar description was also pub- lished in the London Mining Journal, in April, 1845. That map has been the guide to subsequent observa- tions. Further examinations and discoveries have modified the arrangement of the rocky strata, as then published ; and I have since been induced to classify the gypsiferous deposits with the coal series. The geo- logy of Nova Scotia may therefore be represented in the following manner : — 1st. Granitic, or hypogene Rocks, — Extending along the south side, and throughout the entire length of the Province, from Cape Canseau to the interior of Yar- NOVA-SCOTIA. 233 mouth, there is a somewhat elevated tract, consisting of granite, sienite, prophyry, and trap. Detached ridges of these rocks alsu occur in the hills southward of An- napolis and Cornwalllo. At Shelburne, and between Halifax and Cape Canseau, they again reach the sea- board. They also form the central portion of the Cobequid Mountains, whicli (^ite^d fron^ Capo Chig- necto, in Cumberlaud, to the high lands west of Tatama- gouche, and River John, on the oppota of 10,000 square miles!!! and I am of opinion, that they arc all parts of one uninterrupted tract, which, in Nova Scotia, is stretched along the flanks of all th€i highlands that overlook the estuaries of the northern and eastern parts of the Province. The coal district reaches from Chignccto Bay, in the county of Cumberland, along the north side of the pen- insula to Northumberland Strait, and thence to the Ciut of Cansoau. It is seen at Lower Horton, Falmouth, and Windsor, and runs thence along the south side of Minas Basin, across the valloy of the S'uibenacadio, along the northern side of Musquodoboit, embracing the valley of the Stewiacke and ( ray's River, to the eastern shores, and crossing the Strait of Canseau, the same tract comprehends a part of Cape Breton, where coal '2 » 336 NOVA-SCOTIA. is abundant. Coal measures also skirt the northern shores of Minas Basin ; and extending on a I'me nearly parallel to the Cobequid Mountains, they range eastward to Pictou. The Gulph shores of the Province belong to the same coal field which extends as far south as the centre ot Guysboro'. In the tract of country described as forming a part of the great coal field, there are extensive deposits of red sandstones, marls, gypsum, fossiliferous limestones, with salt springs, and occasionally cupriferous and ferrugi- nous slates. These rocks sometimes repose upon car- boniferous strata, containing coal plants and seams of coal, and in their lithological characters they agree with the gypsiferous red marl group of Europe. Their fos- sils were supposed by able palaiontologists to indicate a formation newer than the coal, and several of their shells appear to be identical with those of the magnesian lime- stone. 1 had therefore classed the gypsiferous sand- stones and marls with the new red sandstones of Eu- rope. The same arrangement was adopted by Messrs. Smith and Brown, as stated in Halliburton's history of Nova Scotia, by Messrs. Jackson and Alger, of Boston, Mr. Logan, and every geologist who had touched upon the subject, until Mr. Lyell visited the Province in 1842, and by his more extensive acquaintance with similar formations in Europe, established an arraiige- rnent that corresponds much better with the natural order of superposition. In the mean time important discoveries had been made in Russia, where an extensive system of rocks, composed of limestones, gypsum, marls, and rock salt, occupying the ancientkingdom of Permia, holds a position intermediate between the carboniferous and triassic periods, and the best evidence has been obtained from NOVA-SCOTIA. 23r their fossils that they are ohler than the new red sand- stone with which they had been previously classed. During my travels in Nova Scotia with Mr. Lyell, ho compared the gypsiferous rocks of the Province with those of Russia as far as the sections obtained would permit ; but I hesitated to yield up the opinion I had entertained, until I could make more extensive exami- nations of the coal region. I have since carefully collected every fact within my reach, and now have pleasure in confirming the views held and afterwards conveyed by him to the Geological Society of London in reference to the Jige of those rocks. To the sections which Mr. Lyell has quoted in his travels in North America,* I might add several more in confirmation of the correctness of his arrangement, which I have since obtained. The details of such ex- aminations can only be arrived at by a geological recon- noissance of the whole Province. I may, however, add that the village of Truro is separated from the valley of the Stewiacke by a ridge of quartzite, grauwacke, and trap rock. On the southern side of the ridge, and oast- ward of Organ's Inn, those rocks are succeeded by con- glomerate,, then by limestone, with shells, to the thickness of 500 feet, and gypsum of like depth, upon which rest beds of sandstone and shale, containing coal plants and thin scams of coal. The strata of the carboniferous rocks dip away from the ridge, and repose upon the limestone and gypsum. A perfect section of the rocks may be obtained, notwithstanding the disturbance that has taken place to the north. The slate forming the base of the Ardoise hills, in the county of Hants, is succeeded by a (;onglomerate similar to that just noticed, and which is seen at the upper * Travols in North America, by Charles Lyell, Esq., F. R. S., Vol. U., p. MH. '■;* . 1 ' 1 m ;■''. 238 NOVA-SCOTIA. I P bridge of the St. Croix. Upon this conglomerate there reposes a belt of gypsum not less than 2000 feet iu diickn^-ss, and .i* many places displaying distinct Wvfi: , i 1 m i r i^: 242 NOVA-SCOTIA. and they do not appear to lie more in one direction than another. On the coast of Chignecto Bay fossil trees also abound ; and in most places they lie in all positions, parallel to the strata, or across them oblique- ly. They always increase in number in the proximity of a seam of coal. In one part, however, of the Chig- necto coast, called the South Joggins, where the nine- teen seams of coal already mentioned occur, in the space of three quarters of a mile, and in a thickness of strata amounting to 1800 feet, the fossil trees are all perpendicular to the strata. In tracing these scams of coal along the ravines to the distance of six miles from the cojist, trees have been observed in the same vertical position in respect to the strata. The cliffij at this spot are from 80 to 100 feet in height, and consist of grey and reddish sandstone, bituminous blue shale, shelly limestone, clay ironstone y.nd coal. The strata are rapidly degraded, so that at every successive visit which the author has made to the spot during the last ten years, he has found that trees which he had ori- ginally observed had disappeared, and that others were exposed in their stead. At the last visit he made, twenty-one trees were exposed to view, and this num- ber was rather less than he had seen on former occa- sions. Th». ordinary length of the trunks is from 10 to 30 feet, but some have been observed that were 60, or even 70 feet long. They vary in diameter from 6 inches to 3 feet ; one was 4. feet 6 inches across. Most frequently their lower extremities are situated in shale ; but sometimes they spring from the coal itself, and when that is the case, they never pass through the scam of coal. Sometimes their roots branch out irtto the shale or sandstone they rest upon. - ' > NOVA-SCOTIA. U:i At the place above referred to, ten miles north of Truro, the strata above and below the coal abound in trunks, branchec^, and leaves of large fossil trees. TJie exterior of each trunk is in coal, and the interior is usu- ally sandstone and fire clay. la one tree the whole trunk was coal, except a llattencd portion, resembling the pith, and extending through tlie centre of the tree, from one extremity to the other. At the spot, on the Moose River, where the coal measures are represented to rest on old red sandstone, a fossil tree, 30 inches in diameter, is seen in dark-colored shale and sandstone. Ferns, stigrnaria, and other fossil plants, of which I have found upwards of fifty species, are abundant at the coal mines of Cape Breton, and in the sandstones and shale of every part of the great coal field. The total number of fossil plants found in the coal measures of Nova Scotia is 53 : of these, 48 have been enumerated by Mr. LycU. In general they agree with the fossils of the carboniferous rocks of Europe. We are indebted to Mr. Lyell also for a catalogue of the fossil shells of the carboniferous and gypsiferous for- mations of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. The total number is 48. 6th. Neiv Red /Sandstone. — The evidences brought forward to prove that the gypsiferous red sandstones and marls of Nova Scotia are not the equivalents of the new red sandstone, but form a part of the great coal series, dipping beneath the most important beds of coal, deprives the group, which had been described as having an extensive existence in Nova Scotia, of all the strata that were formerly referred to it. In my early labors I supposed that the red marly strata skirt- ing both sides of the Basin of Minas were member* 2k I \ . r ' ii I'' 2d4 NOVA-SCOTIA. p.' of the new red sandstone group; but recent examina- tions have convinced me that they descend beneath the members of the coal scries ; and at Moose river, in Parrsboro', coal measures may be seen resting upon them nncomformably. The sandstones and marls of the valley of Kings and Annapolis counties repose upon Silurian strata and conglomerates almost the entire length of their soutliern range ; and at Blomi- don they contain thin strata of crystalized and fibrous gypsum like those of the sandstones and marls of the Shubenacadie. Their general agreement also with the lower red sandstones has induced me to class them with the lower carboniferous rocks. Unless, there- fore, the strata mentioned by Mr. Lyell as being situ- ated near Truro, are new red sandstone, I know of no rocks within the limits of the Province to wliich that term can be properly applied. , *' ^ / 7th. Intrusive, or Igneous Rocks. — The whole north-west coast of the peninsula next the Bay of Fundy, from Brier Island to Ca])e Blomidon, a dis- tance of 126 miles, is one continuous belt of trap, greenstone, and amygdaloid. It is like a wall thrown up along the shore of the Bay, and will not, on an average, exceed three miles in breadth. It forms the northern side of the valley of Kings and Annapolis, and reposes upon the sandstones already noticed. At Blomidon it forms a perpendicular clill'. nearly 600 feet above the sea level, where the sandstones, with fibrous gypsum, are seen jutting out from beneath. The islands and h( ud lands on the opposite side of Minas Basin, and at Parrsboro', are also composed of trap rocks, which, like those beforcnicntioncd, abound m crystaliscd mmcrals, and especially the zeolites, . , NOVA-SCOTIA. 24/> If the axis of the Cohequid ridge be proloiigLd to- wards the west until it mc'cts tlie Bay of Fundy, it will enter a trappean mass composed principally of red feld- spar and porphyr'-, about seven miles broad. The western extremity of the axis on the Bay of Fundy is at Capo Chignecto, to the northward of which lies Chig- nccto Bay. The trap of the Cape is of two varieties — the red and the green. The red contains veins of sul- phate of Barytes. Near Shoolie, and at a plftco called Cranherry Point, a oonjTlomerate appears, which con- nists of masses of trap and sandstone. Near Apple River, the coal strata, whicli extend to the north of this ridge oi' trap, come in contact with it. The trap forms the axis from which the coal measures dip away until they become at Little Shoolie, horizontal. This point may therefore be considered the centre of the coal trough in this quarter, for towards it all the strata to tlie north also incline. The trap rocks present yome of tbe most sublime and interesting scenery in the Province. Their sharp angles projecting into the Bay of Fundy, give rise to great dis- turbances in the tidal currents, which have worn out bays, coves, and other places of shelter for small vessels. Their lofty mural cliffs are often studded with beautiful minerals. These, and the bold views they constantly offer to the eye, will always attract the traveller and naturalist. 8th. Drift and Boulder Formation. — Beds of sand and gravel, and detached boulders, are seen in every part of the Province. The drift has been from the north towards the south, which is the general direction of innumerable diluvial grooves seen on the upturned edges of the strata, especially those of the slate, and grauwacke. Of the sandy and gravelly beds there are Iwo divisions — the stratified and the unstratified. The ijiiij i liiii IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) NS c '% U.A 1.0 III I.I 1.25 UiUS |2.J ■ 50 ~^" R^H ^ »£ III 2.0 u >- u 18 U ill 1.6 6" vg <^ /^ e: <^ >> ^. '^^"^ ^ 'V^ ^ y Photographic Sciences Coiporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 pb^ <^ "^ o %£ 246 NOVA-SCOTtA. .'W former have evidently been influenced by currents ot water, and the latter appear like the collections of stones and gravel left by the melting of load 'd ice-cakes. 1 believe that all these deposits were made by the sea and icebergs at that period when the continent was submer- ged. Boulders are frequently seen on the Atlantic side of Nova Scotia on the tops of the naked hills. When they are poised on one or more of their sharp angles, they may be readily rolled from side to side by the application of a short lever. They are then called Rocking Stones. About four miles from Halifax, in the direction of the North West Arm, there is a rocking stone of extraordi- magnitude. It is situated within a hundred yards of a pretty lake, and rests upon the naked granite forming the slope of a hill. The boulder itself is also granite, but it is dissimilar to the basis upon which it is placed. It is about 20 feet long, 14 feet wide, 9 feet high, and has been estimated to weigh 190 tons. Cy the application of a lever, this boulder is easily rolled from the south-west to the north-east; — to the former point it returns. Two persons will also produce the rocking by running across the stone, which seems to have been (( In nature's rage, at random thrown, — * ' . Yet trembling like a Druid's throne On its precarious base." In hia geological examinations in this quarter, the Earl of Dundonald extended his inquiries to the causes which brought the rock to its present position, and the direction it had taken from its original site. By remo- ving the surrounding earth, his lordship discovered its track, which is a broad groove worn out of the subja- cent rocky platfom from the lake to the boulder. The direction of this track is from the south towards the h I ^^:m NOVA-SCOTIA. 247 north, a course nearly opposite to that of the general drift of the country. , . .. i ?Mi ^ The bow of the stone is much battered and rounded off, while the stern still retains the sharp angles of the quarry. The progress of the mass appears to have been slow, and it may have been ages in completing the journey from its parent mountain. The phenomena can scarcely be explained without reference to the transport- ing power of ice, when acted upon by currents of water. The rocking stone, with its track, is one of the great- est natural curiosities in the Province. I'here are other boulders of this kind in the neighborhood. , :-4r i ifM'ti^ MAMMALIA, FURS, HUNTING, TRAPPING, BIRDS, &C. ^hich seems Although the wild animals, or game of Nova Scotia can no longer be classed among her Industrial Resour- ces, it may be proper, before closing the present chapter relating to industry, briefly to notice such wild animals as are considered valuable on account of their flesh, or furs. In the early settlement of the country, hunting was sometimes a profitable employment. The aborogines were ignorant of the value of furs ; and often, for a few trinkets, they would barter the finest skins of the black fox and beaver. Many of the settlers from New Eng- land pursued the chace and followed trapping for a livelihood, and some of their descendants are not yet weaned from the occupation of their forefathers. - From the diligence and skill of the hunter, the de- mand for fur, and the advancement of agriculture and civilization, the numbers of wild animals have greatly declined over the whole continent of America. Indeed a similar remark will apply to the whole world. Some ^48 NOVA-SCOTJA. of the animals bearing the finest furs have disappeared. Others are rarely seen, even in the rennotest forests ; and the time is rapidly drawing nigh when the use of the natural covering of animals must be superseded by articles of manufacture. The first trade of Nova Scotia was in furs and ivory. The fur trade is now unimport- ant, and there are no longer exports of the teeth of the walrus. Beaver were formerly numerous, but their dams have been destroyed, and it is now stated by the Indians that there is not a single living beaver in Nova Scotia. The extinction of some animals has, however, been followed by the introduction of others. In Nova Scotia the beaver has been succeeded by the wolf, and the skunk {Mephitis Americana) hsiS increased in numbers during the last thirty years. But the moose and carriboo, and the most valuable fur-bearing animals, seem destined to annihilation. With them will also disappear the native. Micmacs, unless some powerful effort is made to bring, them within the pale of civilization. I have remarked elsewhere that the fallow deer,, (cervus Virginianus) was not seen in New Brunswick prior to the year 1810, at which period wolves also ap- peared ; — ^^nor has it yet reached Nova Scotia on its march to the east. This beautiful animal has evidently been driven into that province by droves of wolves, which are now extending their march in this direction, and far beyond their former limits. In 1845 a wolf was seen in Nova Scotia, on the road between Halifax and Truro. In 1846, two were killed; and more recently others have been captured in the neighborhood ot Wind- sor and Musqupdoboit. The Legislature have offered a bounty for their destruction. In my excursions on the interior lakes of New Brunswick, I have seen them in di:o.YQs, Qnd rnpre the^n once saluted them with, a riflq NOV A- SCOT! A. 249 ball. In the back woods of that Province the howlinga of those animals during the night tve terrific, and the sheep of the new settlers are frequently their prey. Formerly the white goose (anser hyperboreas) was common in some of our bays during the spring. Not one of them has been seen of late, and thev are now rare even in the Gulph of St. Lawrence. Forty years ago the wooodcock was almost unknown in this Pro- vince ; they are now plenty in some situations, being annually on the increase. MAMMALIA OF NOVA SCOTIA. ORDER I. CARMASSIERS. Vespertillio — '"" '•" ^ •' Prtdnosus, ... Common Bat. Scalops — Canadensis. Mole. . r i"" Condylaria — Cristata, ... - * * ^ i Star-nose mole. Ursus — Amencanvs, Black Boar. '- Procyon — Lotor, ™ _ . _ Raccoon. Gulo— Cuscus, - - - . Wolverine, or Indian Devih MusteJa — Feson, - - - - Mink. Vulgaris, - - - - Werzel. Erminea, . . . Ermine. Martis, - - . . Martin. Canadensis, - - - - Fisher. Mepliitis — Americana, - - - fc,Vunk. Lutra — Canadensis, - - - - Otter. Canis — (Lupus) Occidentalis^ - (Vidpus) Fulvus, - Firginiamis, - - - Wolf. - Red Fox. Gray Fox. JVigra, - Black Fox. Felix— Canadensis, Lynx, nr Wild Cat. . )■ :' 250 M \i' ' /.:W =-,.*:. ':,«, i:. Castor — Filer, Fiber— Zibethiciis, Mus — Decumanus, Rattus, MusciUus, LeucopuSy - Gerbillua — Canadensis, Arctomys — Monax, Sciiu's — Hudsonius, Striatus, - Pteromys — i^olucella, HystrLx — PUosus, Lepus — Americanus, Cervus — Tarandus, . AlceSf - NOVA-SCOTlA. ORDER II. RODKNTIA. ..',■■ . I :» I Beaver, (extinct.) - Musquash, or Musk Rat Brown Rat, Wharf Rat. Black Rat. , ? Mouse. Field Mouse. - Jumping Mouse. Woodchuck. - Red Squirrel. Striped or ground Squirrel. - Flying Squirrel. Porcupine. Hare. Order lii. ruminantia. Reindeer, or Carriboo. Elk, or Moose. The cetacea and phoca have been classed with the marine animals. The game taken for their furs are the Bear, Otter, Raccoon, Red Foj^, Wolverine^ Gray Fox, Mink, Black Fox, Weasel, Wild Cat, Ermine, Muskrat, Martin, Woodchuck/ Fisher, NOVA-SCOTIA. 251 Of the birds I have captured : Accipitres, - - - 1(3 ir', Passerea, - - - -fi Ambulatores, - - - 58 . GallinsB, - - - - 4 , Grallffi, - ... 18 Anseres, - - - - 24 V Total, ... 126 . ., V The total number of birds in the Province is proba- bly about 200. Of that number not more than 110 breed in the country, and several only remain a few days on their annual migratory voyages. Bears, moose, and other wild animals, sometimes afford excellent sport, yet they are chiefly killed by the back-woods settlers and the Indians. A law to protect the moose is loudly called for, as they are often wantonly shot down, and their flesh is left in the forests. ■ • Patridges, pigeons, plover, snipe, and woodcock, are all plenty in their seasons, and in the autumn the sportsman may spend his time very pleasantly on the borders of the great marshes, or skirts of the forests. The best duck shooting is in the spring, when creep- ing through mud and water and freezing behind ice- cakes are sometimes rewarded by a noble duck, or, per- haps, a goose. 2f !!?■ I I''; 262 NOVA-SCOTIA, / •». .-'I CHAPTER IX. Mines and Minerals— Granite, Slate — Minerals of the Silmian Rocks — Iron Ore — Iron Ore of Annapolis — Iron Ore of Pictou — Minerals of tliC Coal Formation — Gypsum, Limestone, Ores of Iron, Ores of Iron and Manganese, Salt Springs, Free.'^tones, Grindstones, Flag- stones — Coal, Coal Field, Coal Measures — Albion Mines — Exports of Coal — Cumberland Coal Measures — Capo Breton Coal Field — Coal Mines, Sydney, Lingan, Cow Bay, Bras d'Or, Carabacou, In- habitants Kiver — Exports — Royal Grant — Mining Association — Expenditures of Nova Scotia — Operations of—Ores of the Coal Fields — Iron — Copper — Iron of the Cobequid Mountains — ^linerals of the Trap Rocks of the Bay of Fundy, &c. &c. — Building Stones — List of— Clays — Allum Clays and Slates— Ochres, &c. Having given a succinct account of the Geology of Nova Scotia, I may now proceed to notice the Minerals, so far as they have been discovered, and form a part of the industrial resources of the Province. In this inquiry it will be convenient to follow the several rocky formations in their order of superposition. The granite of Nova Scotia is equal to any in the world for building purposes. The mica, feldspar, and quartz, exist in such proportions as to afford strength, dura- bility, and beauty. The granite of the North West Arm, nearJHalifax, has been employed in the fortifica- tions of the citadel, and of late in the erection of pub- lic buildings. It frequently contains masses of older granite, which are readily distinguished by a difference of color. Only a few years ago this rock was imported from Scotland. Granite is abundant along the eastern coast, between Halifax and Canseau. It may also be aM "^f^ (K ^JU^ ^LLe.iM\^M^ ^l l-f' /lOtr^ - NOVA-SCOTIA. 253 obtained at Liverpool. At Shelbiirne it is most favor- ably situated for exportation. From the fine quarries opposite the town man/ cargoes have been shipj^ed to the United States, and St. John, N. B. The rock is very beautiful and durable ; but of late the demand for Shelburno granite has declined. The same rock abounds on the shores (>( Barrington. The granite of Annapolis, which may be seen in its Court-house, might be worked advantageously at those points where it makes a near approach to the river. Mill stones are frequently made from granite boulders found in differ- ent parts of the Province. While wood is abundant, this rock will be seldom employed, except for public buildings, and its abun- dance along the American coast will always be a cheek to its exportation. A fine porphyry may be obtained in the Cobequid hills. The whole Cambrian group, which extends through the central and along the Atlan- tic side of the peninsula, abounds in excellent build- ing stones. The grauwacke breaks into rhomboidal and cubical masses, and thus favors the erection of walls. A belt of clay slate extends from one extremity of the Province to the other. 1 have crossed it at up- wards of forty different places. A minor belt appears at Rawdon, and crossing the Shubenacadie is seen near Gay's River, on its course to the eastward. A quarry was opened a few years ago two miles southward of Kentvillc, and the slates taken from it have proved sound and durable. Some of the strata contain the sulphuret of iron, which should be care- fully avoided, for it decomposes when it is exposed tr/ the air. This quarry has been abandoned. Anotht r was opened at Rawdon, and another at Gay's River^ These also have been deserted — probably from the. .w vmi i 254 NOVA-SCOTiA. r S C-tyUiriii^X- W^ O.lrv-i^'i t,lfy I : ^\ i^fvLfO^ - high price of Ir^.bor, and the distance between the quar- ries, and any navigable stream. The minerals found in the older slates have been objects of interest to the mineralogist, but of little practical value to mining. The sulphuret of iron is common, and it may yet bo discovered in sufficient quantities for the manufacture of sulphur. The sulphuret and other ores of copper f have also been found in small quantities. Rock crys- tal, smoky quartz, or Cairn Gorm occur in the granitic drift oirfictau. Shorl, hornblende, feldspar, and gar- nets, are not rare in the lower Cambrian rocks. A deep excavation was recently made in the rocks / of Dartmouth in search of a lode of copper ; but for f-j\l\a.i'^All- U'A^ what reasons I could never apprehend. The ^nter^prise, ){UxA it|s - as might have been expected, i)mv£d_^uitless. Only very limited parts of the south-eastern part of the pen- insula has ever been submitted to any kind of examina- tion, and the chief part of the surface is still covered by the native forest. The numerous bays, rivers, and minor streams that penetrate this part of the Province, offer the best opportunities for making a survey, yet, up to the present time, comparatively nothing is known of its mineral productions. The sections I have taken across the Province were made solely for the purpose of determining some of the leading features of its ; geology. MINERALS OF THE SILURIAN ROCKS, The Silurian rocks have been represented as extend- ing almost through the Province, its entire length from Digby to Pictou ; those rocks also skirt the flanks of the Cobequid hilly range in the counties of Cumberland NOVA-SCOTIA. and Colchester. Ta the former there aro vahiahio hods of iron or«, wliich, from appearino; at several points along the range, prohably belong to almost continnous strata, being coeval with the formation in which they are situated. • .^ , . ^ The most common variety of iron ore in the oldest fossiliferous strata, is the hydrous-peroxide of that metal, or brown hematite. At Clements, in the county of Annapolis, and three miles from the mouth of Moose river, it outcrops, and may bo traced a mile on the surface, with an average thickness of 9 feet 6 inches. It yields from 33 to 40 per cent, of cast metal, and the quality of the iron is very superior. Tho river affords abundant water power to propel machinery, and the harbour at its mouth communicates with the beautiful basin of Annapolis. The country abounds in white birch, and other kinds of the best wood, and there is free navigation to the whole Atlantic coast. In 1826 an association was formed, called the An-» napolis Iron Mining Company, and sufficient capital was raised in the Province to commence and carry on the work. All the lands containing iron ore at Moose River, Nictau, and Digby Neck, were purchased, to- gether with several farms, mill-sites, carriage-ways, and every privilege that might be required for the most extensive operations. A large tract of wild land \yas obtained from the Government, to supply wood for charcoal. A dam was thrown across the river ; furnaces for smelting and casting were erected, and the whole put in the best order. The whole expense of the establishment, when completed, was £30,000 currency. The smelting, casting, and manufacture of iron, commenced under the most favorable auspices, and both the ore and the iron produced from it proved 250 NOVA-SCOTIA. i' to bo uiiexccptionabl(!. Altliougli a duo regard to economy had not been jjractised iVom the commence- ment of the undertaking, the enterprise promised suc- cess, and the Province began to feel the benefits of home manufactme. At a period when the ostabUsh- ment was in active oi)cration, the whole work was suddenly abandoned ; — the fires of the furnaces were extinguished — the trip hammers ceased to move, and the pretty village of Moose River was deserted by all its inhabitants, except sueh as were engaged in fishing and agriculture. The charge of the iron works was committed into the hands of persons belonging to the United States, the principal of whom was an iron- founder in Boston, who maintained that pig iron only should be made, — that pig iron was to be sent to the United States, and there manufactured, and then re- turned to the British Provinces for sale, whereby the profits would fall into the hands of the American share- holders. Dissensions soon took place. It has been publicly stated, that the principal furnace was inten- tionally choked, and the enterprize was abandoned. Up to the present moment, the United States supply great quantities of castings and manufactured iron to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where the duty on such goods has been constantly reduced ; indeed, the inhabitants on this side of the line favor the opinion that their Republican neighbors can import iron and coal from Great Britain, and supply them at a cheaper rate than the iron can be produced for, on the soil where both the ore and the fuel for its manufacture are inexhaustible. On an average, 80,000 chaldrons of coal and 50,000 cords of wood are shipped annually from Nova Scotia to the United States, which return large quantities of NOVA-SCOTIA. 257 manufactured iron. Implements ot liudbaiidry, stoves, culinary utensils, edge tools, and even the axes employ- ed in felling the forcaf, arc iinportcd from the Ameri- cans. The manufacture of iron in Nova Scotia would scarcely affect the iron trade with Britain ; but it would operate in diminishing the imports from a foreign power, which levies high taxes upon agricultural produce, and all goods manufactured in these Provinces. It is to be regretted that the Annapolis Iron Com- pany had not employed men of science and skill ; for beyond the selfish motives of those who had the control of the works, it is evident that they were not pracii- cally acquainted with the art of smelting iron. With a large furnace, and a powerful blast carried by water, they were only able to obtain, with the best charcoal, thirteen tons of cast iron per week — not equal to one- third of the produce of the English and Scotch furnaces, which work ores of nearly the same per centage. From the disagreement that took place among the members of the Company, its operations terminated. The American shareholders were the only persons who professed any practical knowledge of the business, and their aid was withdrawn. Several hundreds of tons of pig iron and castings, with 40,000 bushels of charcoal, still remain in the stores, and the whole establishment is now falling into decay. The iron imported into Nova Scotia and New Brunswick amounts to £ 1 30,000 per an., still there is not a smelting furnace in any of the British North American Provinces, Canada only excepted. This state of things will probably remain, until the re- sources of British America are better known in the mother country, where there is capital to improve them. When the forests of Clements shall fail to afford fuel for the reduction of the iron ore, the coal mines of Cumber- land will supply the demand at a moderate price. 258 NOVA-SCOtlA. Anothnr bed of iron ore occurs in the silurian rocks of Nictau, which, like those of Clements, abound iu the fossil shells and corals peculiar to the group. The ore at this place is six feet four inches in thickness, and the outcrop is seen on the surface to the distance of half a mile. The falls of the Nictau river offer an admirable site for machinery, and. the forests through which the stream passes would maintain a furnace for a long period of time. Excellent iron was manufactured at this place in tho early settlement of the country. Silurian fossils are found at New Canaan, southward of Kentville ; and the ochres that usually accompany the iron were made into pigments at that village a few years since. There are indications of the iron ere on the Horton Mountains, and the Ardoise Hills. At McLellan's mountain, twelve miles fiom the Pictou co-il mines, the hematite appears again. The best ore is sixteen feet in thickness, and agrees in its principal characters with that of Clements and Nictau ; both the ore and the adjoining strata abound in Silurian fosi^iis. Other varieties of iron ore have been disco\ereu on the east river of Pictou, the Shubenaca- die, and the Grand Lake, in the county of Halifax. The estent and value of these ores are but imperfectly known. An excellent hematite iron ore also occurs in the forests of Uawdon, and near the Shubenacadie ; but the examinations I have made of them are insufficient to determine the magnitude of their deposits. The i- n ores of the Cobequid Mountain will be noticed with the minerals of the trap rocks. r Some years ago the General Mining Association com- menced the smelting of the'^Pictou hematite, at the Albion Mines, but the work was discontinued. The quantity of bar and pig iron imported into Nova Scotia so long ago as 1834, was 1,347,240 lbs., value in ster- I ling money X3,797. Since that period the quantity im- l^vtUL. C-«<^i ApfiAl. - 9i\.t*uh\(o KOVA-SCOTIA. 269 ported has moro than doubled, and the amount of iron brought into Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is now equal to £130,000 per annum. From the abundance uf ortf and fuel in Nova Scotia, all the iron for both Pro- vinces might be supplied at a much cheaper rate than it can be imported, and profitable exportations m' .t be made to the United States in lieu of an inferior article now purchased from our American neighbors. There are at present seven iron foundries in the two Provinces above mentioned. Those foundries are supplied with iron from Great Britain. Now, if the proprietors of those foundries can import their iron, and manufacture it into caBtingB, under the high rate of wages of the country, and make sound profits, it is obvious that the ore of those Provinces may be smelted with profit ilso, especially as the important article of fuel, either wood or coal, may be obtained cheaper here than in any other inhabited country. From the scarcity and high price of iron in Nova Scotia, and indeed in all the British American Provinces, its use is limited in agriculture and all kinds of machinery ; and if any of our ships have been imperfectly fastened, the faci has resulted from ibe high price of iron, and not from design or neg- ligence./ All the iron employed by the Mining Associa- - tion, for railroads and other purposes, is imported from Great Britain, and having been transported 3000 miles, it is finally thrown into castings at the very site where thick beds of Nova Scotia ore are seen protruding from the earth, and where a single stratum of coal, 36 feet in thickness, is ready to supply the fuel requisite for smelt- ing and manufacture. *****'*iAia«iWirlHr"V«'> 2o I.. ,(« 260 NOVA-StJOTU* •' r- ( •'Af MINERALS OF THE COAL FORMATION. Gypsum, — It. has been stated already that the lower parts of the great coal formation include thick beds of red sandstone and marls, associated with vast deposits of gypsum and fossiliferous limestone. The gypsum abounds on both sides of the Avon, and its tributary branches the Cocmegun, Kennetcook, Meander, and St. Croix. The thickest deposit of gypsum I have ever seen appears on the east bank of the latter stream. The gypsiferous region extends from those places eastward, and embracing the whole northern side of Hants county, it crosses the Shubenacadie, and runs v^ith the coal- mea'"ures to the north-eastern shores of the peninsula, occupying in its course the whole tract of country wa- tered by the tributaries of that stream. It occurs at f Parrsboro*, Londonderry, Truro, and at numerous places in the county of Pictou, and along the eastern coasts of the Province. In Cumberland it also appears at numer- ous sites, on a line running parallel to the Cobequid chain, from Maccan to the River Philip, and at Napan, whence it extends eastwardly to Pug wash. It also oc- cupies the central portion of Cape Breton. It is univer- sally accompanied by the limestone, and, like it, crops out beneath the upper coal measures. The abundance of the mineral throughout the districts mentioned, ren- ders all description unnecessary. Tracts of country containing gypsum are readily dis- tinguished : where the mineral is not seen at the surface, the earth is indented by deep pits, jailed by the quarry- men, " kettle holes, " and narrow ravines with smooth borders of green sward. The gypsum is constantly undergoing decomposition wherev r- water is present. The earth frequently becomes cavernous, and the sur- NOVA-SCOTIA. 261 face being undermined falls. From some of the " kettle holes" the bones of the native Indians, and wild animals, have been exhumed. In one instance I observed seve- ral spruce trees, each not less than 50 feet in length, which had stood above a chasm that fell in, and left nothing but their tops above ground. It is unsafe to walk over such tracts in the spring of the year, when the frost of winter is escaping. The gypsum is of two kinds — the hydrous and the an- hydrous ; they only differ, as the terms imply, in the quantity of water present. The latter in a pure state is not combined with water. The hydrous gypsum is best suited for architectural purposes, and it is generally preferred by the Americans for agriculture. Besides fthese there are selenite and fibrous gypsum, which are /beautifully crystalized. From being transparent, they are called by the inhabitants ' Hsinglass*^'* The gypsum is often pure white, or blue. Upon the banks of the Shu- benacadie, and at Gay's River, I found masses of bnght red and jet black gypsum. The mineral is colored by carbon, iron, and manganese. Gypsum has justly been classed among the valuable minerals of the Province. It is annually exported to the United States, where it is calcined, ground, and ap- plied to the soil as a stimulant. Its effects upon vege- tation there are remarkable; but it has been observed, that wherever gypsum has once been applied, it must be continued. The principal places of shipment are Wind- sor, the Shubenacadie, and the south side of Minas Basin. 20,472 tons of plai^ter were shipped from the county of Hants last season. At many places vessels lie aground at the quarries. In other situations the rock is transported some distance on carts and waggons,, and at Windsor a short railway is employed. On the banks of the Shubenacadie the plaister-diggers have bur- )86-i NOVA-SCOTIA. ijisi,;'.-. « rowed in the perpendicular cliffs 100 feet above their bases, whence they throw the gypsum down to high- water mark. Notwithstanding gypsum is abundant, and there is an evident lack of lime in the soils of the Province, I am not aware that any series of experiments has been tried to test its properties as a fertilizer. It sometimes happens that the soil in the immediate neighbourhood of the plaster rock iy rendered sterile from the predom- inance of that mineral ; again, in situations where the rock disintegrates slowly, the adjacent soil is not c';lca- reous. A course of accurate experiments, with refer- ence to the use of gypsum as a manure, is worthy the attention of agricultural societies, and farmers in ge- neral. / Some of the compact gypsums afford good alabaster, \ which may be turned in a lathe, or cut into ornaments. I The selenites contain large and very beautiful crystals. ' Barytes. — Sulphate of barytes sometimes occurs in the older sandstones. The largest vein of that mineral \ have seen is on the farm of George Taylor, in the val- ley of the Stewiacke ; — it exceeds ten feet in thickness. A mill has recently been erected by Mr. Ross, of Truro, and in it the heavy spar is converted into pigment. Limestone — Accompanying the gypsum, there are thick beds of limestone abounding in the shells peculiar to the group. They are seen in compact strata, or where the rock is slaty : it usually contains encrinital remains. The usual colors are white, brown, yellow, and black. The limestones are different throughout the whole coal formation. At a few situations good marble may be quarried,, and some polished specimens display the fossils in great beauty. The compact lime- stone yields a strong lime suitable for the purposes of building, but it is less white than that obtained from NOVA-SCOTIA. 263 primary limestone. The chief uses of this rock are the advantages it offers to agriculture. It abounds on the banks of the Shubenacadie, Avon, Maccan, and other streams, whence it may be readily transported. There is also abundance of wood and coal for its calcination. With all these facilities of preparation, it is seldom ap- plied to the soil. Only a few small and very imperfect kilns are in operation, and the chief part of the lime em- ployed in masonry is imported from New Brunswick. It is true, that in new countries, where the earth has first to be cleared of its timber before it can be made productive, the application of stimulants to the soil, and the exercise of science, may be unnecessary ; but the time has long since arrived, when the old worn out lands of the first settled districts of Nova Scotia require an improved system of tillage. Ores of Iron, — Hematite, and other ores of iron, sometimes appear in the older red sandstones, and in the banks of the Shubenacadie they would supply a smelting furnace ; but the abundance and richness of ithe ores of Annapolis and the Cobequid Mountains, will always draw away all enterprise from these minor de- /posits. Ores of Manganese, — In the same rocks we find the anhydrous red oxide, the hydrated ses-quioxide, and other ores of manganese, some of which are beautifully crystalized. The most common of these is the anhy- drous binoxide, or pyrolusite. It occurs in irregular masses, and has been found in the largest quantities at Petite, in the county of Hants, and at Parrsboro'. It is also found at Ravvdon, Douglas, and in the banks of the Shubenacadie, and at other places. A few tons have been occasionally shipped from Petite to the United States, where it commands a ;Tood price. Upwards of 40,000 tons of this ore are annually employed in Great '-\' 11 J* 261 NOVA-SCOTIA. Ijritain, whero the price is usually £10 sterling per tor^. It is used in various manufactures. Few examinations have been made m reference to the qua^ntity of manga- nese that may be obtained in Nova Scotia. As the inhabitants have no control over these minerals, they seldom attempt any discovery ; and such as have been made are frequently kept secret. The manganese will form a valuable article of export at a future day. Lead Ore Narrow veins of galena occur in the limestones of the Shubenacadie, Stewiacke, and Brook- field, and rhe ore sometimes contains a small per cent- age of silver. No profitable veins have so far been dis- covered. Salt Springs -In t^.e tract of country I have repre- sented as being gypsiferous, there are numerous salt springs, which appear to have some connexion with the vast deposits of sulphate of lime before mentioned — a striking feature in their geological character. They aje most numerous in the county of Hants, where they form a chain, reaching eastwardly from the Avon to the Shubenacadie on lines running parallel to the Kennet- cook and the beds of gypsum in that quarter. They also occur at several places in the county of Pictou, and in Londonderry. In the county of Cumberland they occupy the gypseous rocks from Maccan to the River Philip. Besides the chloride of sodium, these springs sometimes contain the sulphate of lime and soda, and other saline substances. Mineral springs possessing medicinal properties are not rare, yet few of these wa- ters have been analysed, and the springs themselves are chiefly situated in the forests or uninhabited parts of the country. I have found the quantity of the chloride of sodium, or salt, in these waters to be very variable ; from mixing with thoso that lun over the surface, their salt- ness is affected by the rains of autumn, the dissolving NOVA-SCOTIA. 5265 snows of spring, and even a single shower. In the ma- nufacture of salt the first important step would be to divert these waters away from the saline pools. During the heat of summer, the salt frequently crystalizes around the borders of the springs, and I have seen the brushwood drooping over them beautifully incrusted >vith the mineral. At one site in Hants county, I found small pieces of rock salt in the clay whence the spring issued ; and Mr. Robert Smith, of Maitland, sent me a piece of gypsum that was highly impregnated with salt ; but I have been unable to extend these observations, important as they may appear, to any practical conclu- sion. The general distribution of salt over the earth is worthy of grateful notice. In Europe, thick strata of rock salt have been discovered among the gypsiferous sandstones. In Africa, the mineral covers a vast plain. In Peru, Chili, Mexico, California, and the lofty moun- tains of the Cordilleras, salt is abundant. In the north- ern part of the Great Continent its existence is indicated by the presence of saline springs, and theio can be no doubt that the salt springs of Nova Scotia rise from deposits of that mineral which remain concealed in the earth. Much of the salt used is obtained from saline springs, or sea manure; and notwithstanding the low price of the article, it might be successfully manufac- tured by evaporation m Nova Scotia. But, to supply an article of commerce, it would be necessary to pe- netrate the salt strata, which at some situations may, no doubt, be reached at a moderate depth. The presence of rock salt in the clay abovementioned, holds out encouragement for enterprise ; and as these Pro- vinces are altogether supplied with foreign salt, the opening of such mines is of much importance, and their value as forming a part of the industrial resources of "J. l«. 266 NOVA-SCOtU. . <» * .» , .'kL the Province is manifest. Among the mineral waters that have been discovered, the Wilmot spring is the only one that has obtained any celebrity. The water contains iodine, lime, sulphur, and magnesia. It is taken with advantage by scrofrdous patients, and fre- quently relieves the urgent symptoms of dyspepsia. Freestones. — The sandstones of the group under consideration sometimes afford excellent freestones, which, when first taken from the quarry, are soft, and readily he\ved with axes ; but after they have been exposed to the air they become hard and resist the weather. Being uninjured by heat, they are frequently employed for fire-places and ovens. For the general purposes of architecture, they are less durable and ele- gant than the gray sandstones of the coal-measures. Some of the coarser kinds are employed for milN £.tones. Clay. — Clay is very abundant in this formation. Wherever the argillaceous strata are exposed to the elements, they are converted into beds of tenacious clay, which are common on the surface. Some of these clays contain a sjmall quantity of lime. Such should never be employed in the manufacture of bricks or pottery ware, for the slacking of the lime after burning, (Jauses the mass to drumble down. Veins of reddle, or red chalk as it is called, are employed by carpenters, and for marking sheep. Soils. — The soils reposing upon the red sandstones generally partake of their colors and properties, not- withstanding collections of boulders and drift, origi- nally belonging to other formations, sometimes occupy their surface to some extent. In the valley of Kings and Annapolis, granitic and trappean soils are found resting upon the sandstones, and the southern drift of siii- L NOVA-SCOTIA. 267 the Cobequid is scattered over the lower grounds skirt- ing the north side of Minas Basin. Wherever the soil has been derived from the red marly clays and sand- stones, they are very fertile : hence the richest agri- cultural districts of the Province are situated upon those rocks, which, by simple disintegration, supply the necessary elements for the production of plants. Coal. — Of all the minerals found in the earth, coal and iron administer more to the necessities and comfort of mankind than any other. Goal not only supplies domestic fuel, but it sustains the furnace and the forge. In the production of steam it propels ma linery, and by it many of the multifarious operations of manufacture are performed almost without the aid of animal labor. The application of steam to navigation, and the con- struction of railways, have brought about a new era in the affairs of the world, and thereby the importance of coal is daily on the increase. It is of the highest importance to Great Britain that she possesses coal on both sides of the Atlantic ocean, whereby she will be able to support her steam navigation to the western world. This advantage will give the nation the high- est ascendancy in peace and in war. The coal of Nova Scotia is sufficient to supply the whole steam navy of Britain for many centuries to come, and also to meet amply the demands of the North American Colonies. That resources of so much value should be left free and open to public competition — to public enterprise — is necessary to their develope- ment and beneficial application ; yet certain it is that the inhabitants of the Province have never evinced much mining energy. I have already represented the great coal field of Nova Scotia as extending front Chignecto Bay along 2h i" ',- X n 1 "• J' ' ■ . ■ 1 i 268 NOVA-SCOTIA. ■^ . mi. « * . , the north side of the Province to Pic ton, and thence along the coast of tho Gut of Canseau. Commencing in Kings county, a coal tract extends from llorton, Falmouth, and Windsor, along i south side of the Minas Basin, acrosc the Shuboaac ^, along tho north- ern side of Musquodoboit, to the district first mention- ed ; thence crossing the Gut of Canseau the same field embraces a largo part of Cape Breton Island. In my letters upon this subject, published in 1844, it was convenient to begin at Horton, tho most western ex- tremity of the southern arm of this coal district. Coal- measures are seen at Horton Bluff, Half-way River, and near Windsor. The situation and character of the carboniferous strata in this quarter are not very favorable, yet the recent discovery of coal m it would fully justify a careful exploration of the district. At Newport, and only a few miles northward of the lower part of the St. Croix River, 1 found the middle, or more productive coal-measures. Coal-measures also appear at several places in the direction of the Kennet- cook, and at Noel j and at other places thin beds of coal have been accidentally discovered. The prox- imity of the gypsum to these coal-measures is no evidence of their unproductiveness. The fossils con- tained in them afford a far better guide to the geolo- gist. I have observed that the carboniferous rocks underlying the true coal-measures, contain more fossil coniferm and less siigmana than those of the middle coal-bearing strata, and the plants are more frequently mineralised by the sulphate of barytes ; yet, from the limited examinations that have been made, it would be rash to conclude that even these rocks contain no workable beds of coal. The mineral character of the county of Hants calls loudly for a careful geological NOVA-SCOTIA. 269 reconnoissanco, and tho opening of a coal mine in this quarter would be a boon to the populous villages bor- dering on the estuaries of tho Bay of Fundy. The advantages that would arise from tho ^^""orking of co&^ at Horton, or Windsor, are almost too obvious to require any remark. Vessels are chartered at Wind- sor and Cornwallis, and despatched to Sydney foi coal, the price of which at the mines is 18s. per chaldron ; and when the article is landed at those places, its ac- tual cost is no less than 36s. per chaldron. The coal required by the different towns and villages in tho western parts of the Province, might be obtained from Cumberland for one half of the above price. The commencement made by the General Mining Associa- tion to open the coal mines at the Joggins, in Cumber- land, is hailed with satisfaction by the inhabitants of the western counties ; and should the abandoned iron works of Annapolis '^ver be revived, the above mines will offer a cheap supply of fuel, after the forests of Moose river have disappeared. The coal-measures cross the Shubenacadie, pursuing an easterly course through Brookfield, the valley of the Stewiacke, and northern border of Musquodoboit. Seams of coal, from a few inches to a foot and upwards in thickness, may be seen at a number of places where the rocks have been exposed by the streams ; but there are no deep natural sections across the strata like those of Pictou, Sydney, and Cumberland. The formation then bends away to the north-east, and unites with the coal region of the eastern shores. It has been stated that coal-measures skirt the north- ern shore of Minas Basin, and stretch along the north- ern base of the Cobequid hills. Small seams of coal I*, 270 NOVA<*ICOTM. have been exposed by tlie streams in their descent to the Oasin. A foot of good coal occurs in the banks of the Big Village river. The banks of the north river of Onslow also afford some facilities for examination in this quarter. Three strata of coal are soon near the Tatmagoucho road, one of them, being 18 inches in thickness, has supplied some domestic fuel. Others appear along the borders of Salmon river, which passes through the extensive village of Truro. There is an outcropping of coal on the farm of Mr. John Archibald, on the road between Pictou and Truro, and fourteen miles from the latter place. A few years ago a shaft was opened to the depth of 30 feet ; and a stratum of coal, 2^ feet in thickness, was penetrated. Mr. Archibald informed me that after he had raised 600 bushels he found his labor unprofita- ble, and his proceedings were arrested by the General Mining Association. The mine is now filled with rub- bish. The coal in this direction is only about two and a half miles distant from the iron of the Cobequid. These coal measures are continuous from those of the westward, and I am of opinion they embrace much thicker beds of coal than any that have yet been dis- covered on the surface. It has been stated already that the coal field skirts the whole Nova Scotia side of Northumberland Strait, to the Gut of Canseau. The bituminous mineral has been accidentally discovered in this region, at Pomket, and a number of places elsewhere ; but, the position and extent of the productive strata have never been ascertained ; — their national and provincial value can- not be arrived at except by a careful survey. The most important coal-measures discovered are those of til NOVA-ICOTIA. 271 :noss, was Pictoii, and which appear most advantageously on tho east river of that county. Messrs. Smith and Brown* Iiavo estimated their extent by the outcrop of the un- derlying limestone. The carboniferous basin of this district is seen at Merigomish ; and crossing tho threo rivers of Pictou, it appears at Carriboo liarbour, and probably embraces Pictou Island, being estimated to contain a hundred sijuaro miles. That area, however, embraces many faults or dislocations. It is not a se- parate and independent tract, but forms a part of the great coal field already noticed. At Fraser's Moun- tain, and other places in tho vicinity of New Glasgow, tho coal is seen at the surface, and at a few situations it may be obtained at inconsiderable depths. The operations of the Mining Association are at a site about two miles from New Glasgow, on the west side of the east river, and about six miles from Pictou harbour, to which the company have laid down a rail- way to afford passage to the produce of the mines. PicioUj or Albion Mines. — The Pictou, or Albion" Mines, are situated about one hundred miles by land from Halifax, and 80 miles by water from the Gut of Canseau, the most westerly passage from the Gulph of St. Lawrence into the Atlantic. They are the most valuable mines ever opened in British America, afford- ing a large export trade, and a chief part of the Queen's Casual and Territorial Revenue in the Province. Ten strata of coal have been penetrated ; the main coal band is 33 feet in thickness, with 24 feet of good coal ; of this only 12i feet are suitable for exportation, — the remaining part is applicable to furnaces and forges. The inclination of the strata is north 41'=', east 17°, * Halliburton's History of Nova Scotiti, vol. II., p. 421. i 5 M evidence of Richard Brown, Esq , before a commiltee of the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia, in 1839, the operations of Adam Carr did not exceed 54 feet in depth, and by them the coal seams were exhausted to the water level. The coal was then obtained at less cost than now results from deep mining, draining, and ventilation. The whole quantity of coal raised under the lease to Messrs. Smith and Liddell from 1816 to 1827, inclusive, was only 23,325 Winchester chaldrons, and the total amount of Royalty paid was but £5148 15s. 9d. - On the 1 1th July, 1826, a Royal Grant of those Mines was made to the late Duke of York, by which he be- came the sole lessee for 60 years of all the mines and minerals of Nova Scotia that had not been previously granted with the land, and without a reservation of Royalty. No reservation was made of coal and iron in parts of Annapolis, Colchester, and other counties, and upon those tracts valuable minerals have been discover- ed. At Annapolis the unreserved iron has been wrought at different periods. A part of the iron of the Cobequid mountams is not reserved, and an Act of Incorporation has passed the Legislature for a company to commence its smelting and manufacture. In 1828, Messrs. Rundell, Bridge &. Co., assignees of the Duke of York, came into possession of the Pictou mines, and under their lease they are now worked by the General Mining Association of London — a body com- posed of capitalists in London. s Cumberland Coal Measures. — Sandstones, shales, and limestones, with occasional thin seams of coal, skirt the eastern shores of the Province from Pictou to BayVerte, extending thence to Bathurst Bay, in New Brunswick. Beds of coal have been discovered along the banks of the River Philip. At Spring Hill, in Maccan, several strata of coal appear at the outcrop of the carboniferous NOVA-SCOTIA. 279 strata. One stratum is about 12 feet, and the coal is of excellent quality. Coal also appears near the Maecan river, and River Hebert. At several places small quan- tities have been raised for domestic uses. No general exploration of the district has even been instituted. The coal of Spring Hill may be advantageously work- ed, but its distance from any navigable river will require the outlay of a large sum in the construction of a rail- way, either to the Maecan river or to Parrsboro'. To a proper site for delivery on the former stream, the distance is 10 miles; and to Partridge Island river, at Parrsboro', 20 miles. There is an excellent level site to the latter place, where the navigation is open at almost every season of the year, and large vessels may be admitted with greater ease and safety than upon the rapid tides of the streams falling into Cumberland Basin. The Mining Association have commenced an examina- tion of this district ; and J. Smith, Esq., formerly of Pictou, an able mining engineer, is engaged in opening the coal mines of Cumberland. Besides affording a ready supply of fuel to the towns and villages of the western part of Nova Scotia, the shipment of the com- pany's coals at Parrsboro' would open a brisk trade, and greatly improve t^e condition of the country. This object is now contevTiplated by the Hon. Samuel Cunard, the agent of the Association in Nova Scotia, and is cha- racteristic of that gentleman's well known spirit of enter- prise. On the coast of Chignecto, or Cumberland Bay, the sea has worn away the shore, and presented a beau- tiful section of the coal field, which extends along the side of the Bay to the distance of 45 miles. Each stra- tum may be examined by walking along the shore, at some places strewed over with masses of coal, clay iron stone, and the fossil trees already described. At the South Joggins, and near the valuable grindstone quar- i ! 280 NOVA-SCOTIA. pm^ i r m ^: <»? #!'■■- '- ; If ! ill !il Jli^;:: 1 -/Ji ,,. 1 1 1 ■ ^m I •''B !PH jjH ■ 1 k T 1 ^%^ •i WTfV 4 W ries of Amos Seaman, Esq., beds of coal appear in the cliff — which is from 100 to 150 feet high. Between the coal beds there are fossil trees of large dimensions stand* ing perpendicular to the strata, and evidently at the sites where they grew. Some of the coal beds are only a few inches, others are from two to four feet in thickness, and th« coal has proved to be of good quality. One of the strata has been worked several years by two poor miners. During the past year operations have been commenced by the Mining Association, under .\e ma- nagement of Mr. Smith. £16,000 have already been expended upon the coal mines of Cumberland, and the exportation of coal has commenced. The Joggins mines are worked by horizontal levels. The proximity of this coal to the New Brunswick and American markets, and its favorable site, ofiFer every encouragement to the com- pany's operations. The opening cf these resources will promote the agricultural industry of Cumberland, and finally establish a market for the produce of her farmers. I might have adverted more at large upon the practi- cal value of the smaller seams of coal occurring in differ- ent parts of the coal formation, but many of these are merely evidences of the existence of coal-measures ; and to draw any inferences from them in regard to undisco- vered strata, cannot be justified in the present state of our knowledge. The coal mines now worked, or about to be opened by the General Mining Association, are evidently the most valuable of any in British America; and none of the minor seams that have been accidentally . discovered can maintain any competition with the thick strata of Pictou, Cumberland, and Sydney. Cape Breton Coal Fields. — The carboniferous strata of Cape Breton occupy the western and south-eastern parts of the Island, and repose upon the gypsiferous sandstones of the centre frora Sydney to the Gut of Can- NOVA-SCOTIA. 281 I seau. They occupy a trough between ihe hypogene rocks of the north and south, into which the great Bras d'Or spreads its waters. The Sydney coal district is more eiitensive than that of Pictou. It reaches from the north side uf Cow Bay ro the northern part of Bour- lardrie Island — a distance of 35 miles, and with an aver- age breadth of 4^ miles, including the inlets of the coast. It has been estimated by Richard Brown, Esq., an ex- cellent geologist, to contain 120 square miles of land, containing workable beds of coal. The thickness of the coal measures isI860 feet ; millstone grit, 1800 feet ; car- boniferous limestone, 820 feet ; total, 4480 feet. The most important mines are situated nine miles north of Sydney. About nine miles eastward of these mines, and near the entrance of Bridgeport Basin, at the head of Lingan Bay, are the Bridgeport mines, at present not in operation. Four miles westward of the Sydney mines are those of Bras d'Or in the channel of that name. Operations have also been suspended at this place. At the south end of this coal field, and nearly on a line with the above collieries, and on the northern side of Cow Bay, there is an ancient mine, which was worked by the ' French for the supply of Loui^burg while they held pos' session of the Island. Coal also appears at Inhabitants River and Coal Har- bour, on the east side of the Gut of Canseau. At the former place the strata are nearly perpendicular, and small quantities of that mineral have been mined for do- mestic purposes. This district has been estimated to be seven miles long and three miles broad, but I believe it to be a part of the coal trough that runs through the Island. The coal field of the north-west part of the Island extends from St. George's Bay along the coast eastwardly to Chimney Corner, near the entrance of Margaree river. The area of this part of the coal field 11 dsa NOVA-SCOTIA. i ■'"■*'' ■?• ►X* i* i^'t^'.^v •^' >r>': has not yet been determined, nor have the thickness and value of the coal strata been ascertained. Its length is about 40 miles. The coal appears in the cliflfs along the coast, falling in large masses to the beach, where it is washed away by the sea. The greatest depth of the Sydney mine is 315 feet, and 225 feet below the tide level. The Bridgeport mines were drained by horizontal levels. The thick- ness of the coal-bed worked at Sydney is six feet. The dip at the northern end is 7° towards the north, 65® east ; at the southern end it is north 80° east. The coal is worked by driving oblique headways from the main horse-gate, or on a level rising about 3°. The rooms are 16^ feet wide, and pillars are left of the same breadth. The underlying shale abounds in fossils of the carboniferous group, especially ferns. Upright fossil trees also appear in the cliffs along the coast. Mr. Brown, the agent for the Mining Associa- tion, has a fine collection of these plants. At Bridgeport the coal seam is 9 feet thick, and con- tains two thin partings of shale. At Little Bras d'Or the thickness is 4 feet, and the inclination is north- easterly seven degrees. The coal was raised by a horse gin. Three miles of railway have been required to convey the Sydney coal to the loading ground. The Bridgeport mines are on the sea shore, yet a mile and a half of railway is necessary to connect them with Bridgeport Basin. The Little Bras d'Or mine is only a few hundred feet from the channel, and 4 miles from its mouth. The loading ground is only adapted to small vessels. But a small quantity of coal has ever been mined at this place. It will be seen by this statement that the coal mines of Cape Breton possess facilities of shipping not rivalled in any part of the irOVA-SCOTIA. 283 world. The wages of the minor are tlie same at Pictou anil Sydney. At the latter place only the coarse coal is sent to the market, and the price per chaldron put on board is 18s. A deduction is made to purchasers of large quantities. For domestic uses the coal is of a superior quality. Exports of coal from Sydney and Bridgeport in — 1841, 61,670 -^ 1842, 98,616 f Chaldrons Newcastle 1844, 42,160 ( measure. 1847, 26,129 3 The Royal grant to the Duke of York required of him, his heirs, and assigns, the payment of a rent of one shilling sterling per ton on all coals, each ton to weigh 22 hundred weight of 120 pounds each, or 2620 pounds. It also required him to pay four pence for every ton of iron ore, or iron stone, and one-twentieth part of gold, silver, lead, copper, and all other ores and metals that might be raised. He was also required to prove that proper researches had been made within two years, and that mines had been opened in five years after the date of his grant, in order to render it valid. Of late a popular opinion has prevailed, that the Royal grant made to the Duke of York of tha mines and minerals of Nova Scotia, was unwise, im-> politic, and " improvident ;" that it has created a mo- nopoly, checked the discovery of useful minerals^ retarded mining enterprise among the inhabitants, and withheld a proper revenue from the Province. I should lack candor were I not to acknowledge that with others I have been misled by the statements that have been put forth on this subject ; and that opinions, adopted in the early period of the inquiry, have since been cor- rected by a careful and attentive investigation of all 2j lift?' w ■ W' '■ { ■ ■ 'Mi.,*.,. . r W' vT^ 1 « r <; 4 li'f 284 NOVA-SOOTIA^ the facts bearing upon the matter in question, without, however, compromising the opinion, that it was im- proper to alienate property vested in the crown for the good of the people* Fortunately for the Province, the grant fell into the hands of a rich and influential company, and their management to an individual who has been a bene- factor to the country. That company has expended a vast sum of money in the Province, improved the mines, protected the trade, and contributed in no ordi- nary degree to the revenue of Nova Scotia. In regard to the Royalty paid to the Government, it has varied, and will continue to vary, according to the demand for, and the duty on, coals in the American markets. On the 25th of November, 1829, the Colo- nial Secretary wrote to Sir Peregrine Maitland, then Governor of the Province, that the rent to be paid by the General Mining Association was £3,333 6s. Sd., Halifax currency, for any quantity of coals not exceed- ing 20,000 chaldrons, and 2s. per chaldron royalty on the excess beyond that quantity. In his letter to Lord Falkland, of December 22d, 1842, the Hon. Samuel Cunard, agent of the Association, states : " The fixed annual rent for the privilege of raising 20,000 New- castle chaldrons to be £3000 sterling, and 2s. currency for excess shipped beyond that quantity." Up to 1838 the Association raised in all 190,147 chaldrons, under- stood to be Winchester measure ; and that the sales in every year did not amount to 20,000 Newcastle chal- drons. At the rate stated by Mr. Murray to Sir P. Maitland, this would have amounted to £36,665 16s., and at that put down by Mr. Cunard, £41,250 for the eleven years in which the Association had been oper- ating* M0VA-8C0TU. By tho oilicial returns from tho mining districts, it appears that thero wore mined and sold by the Asso-» eiation in 1842, a total of 39,333 chaldrons, Newcastle measure, which, at tho rate paid in rent and royalty, would be £5,683 6s. From the difficulty of com- peting in the American market with the coals of the United States, under tho tariff of 1842, Lord Stanley, on the 18th of February, 1843, communicated to Lord Falkland the decision of the Lords of the Treasury, to allow the Association for that year to raise 20,000 chaldrons beyond the number stipulated in their lease, free of charge for royalty ; but it appears by the certi- fied returns that they actually raised 33,650 Newcastle chaldrons for that ycEur, which was a decrease of 5793 chaldrons on the preceding year's operations. By the representations made to Lord Stanley on tho 31st of January, 1844, he wrote to Lord Falkland, and gave him the power, if he thought proper to exercise it, of allowing the Association to raise 50,000 chal- drons, Newcastle measure, for a limited period, " say from five to ten years," on the payment of the stipu- lated sum of £3000 sterling. In answer, Lord Falk- land assigned, as reasons for withholding this privilege, that the decision would embarrass the adjustment of the Civil List question, and that the indulgence granted the preceding year had not resulted in an increase of sales, but to the contrary. The offer, however, on the part of the Government, proves its regard for tho grow- ing enterprise of the Association, and a desire that it shall be able to sustain a competition in the American market. In the above year the Association obtained a charter. The possession of the sign manual, and broad seal of Her Majesty, with the settlement of a long pending I 286 NOVA-SCOTIA. m^- e-$n suit in Chancery, between the crown and the assignees of the late Duke of York, are advantages on which the Association doubtless look with satisfaction. Those advantages are believed to have been due in no small degree to the indomitable skill and perseverance of the generol agent of the Association. In 1839 the Corporation had a capital of £260,000 invested in Nova Scotia and Cape Breton,-— the shares are £20 each ; and have lately received a dividend of 8 per cent., which is understood to be the first that has been ever paid. Shares had been previously sold in London for £ 13 evch. The settlement of the chan- pery suit has secured to the Association the coal mines of Cape Breton, which, it had been maintained, were not included in the grant made to the Duke of York. That settlement requires them to pay 9d. per chaldron for the coals raised on the Island. I have here drawn largely froni a most able report on the coal trade, by Walter R. Johnston, Esq., of Philadelphia — the Jour- nals of the House of Assembly, and official returns put in my hands by the general agent of the Association. It will be seen by reference to those sources, that the appeal made to the Home Government afforded some relief to the Association, and they shew that the capitalists of London have been willing to forego all returns upon their investments to extend ai;d secure their trade with the United States. The working of the mines has been reduced to the lowest rates, so that their success, and the great benefits they aiFord the Province, can only be retarded by the exaction of a depressing royalty, or a high foreign duty. The As- sociation have now a capital of £400,000 in Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. On this investment only two pmall dividends h»ve been paid j and as early as 1839 N0VA-8CUT1A. 287 £67,000 of interest was unpaid. 100,000 chaldrons of coals must be sold annually at all the mines to en- able the shareholders to divide six per cent.* I have stated that there are large tracts of land em-i braced by the old grants in which the coal, iron, and other minerals were not reserved to the crown. Con-? sequcntly, to the minerals of such districts, the Asso- ciation have no claims. The iron mines of Annapolis are on such lands. Fourteen years ago these mines were worked, and the iron was smelted ; but the enter- prise failed, and has never since been revived. Much ' of the rich iron of the Folly Mountains, in London- derry, is beyond the limits of the company's property. This ore was known to exist forty years ago, but not until recently has any effort been made to bring it into use. It might rather be said that the proprietors of such mines enjoy a monopoly, for they arc exempt from the royalty the Association would have to pay should they commence the smelting of iron upon lands em- braced by their charter. I am of the opinion, that it would be sound policy, in the present condition of the Province, to relinquish all royalty on the ores of all the metals, and rather to offer a bounty upon their reduc- tion and manufacture. The minerals of New Brunswick are under the sole control of the Legislature, and open to the general competition of the inhabitants ; yet, the mines are not worked, and will probably remain inactive until the timber resources have failed. The Mining Association have expended nearly £1,500,000 in Nova Scotia. Up to 31st December, 1847, they had paid into the Treasury £95,440 13s. 7d. in rent and royalty. For U * Journals of the House of Assomblv for 1839. 388 NOVA-SCOTIA. •ISfi ^>.- ' .,., 1847 they paid £7,143 18s. 5d. They have now commenced the opening of the Cumberland mines, and the Province may look forward to a speedy export of the mineral resources of that county. It cannot be supposed that if the coal mines of Nova Scotia had been assigned to the capital and enterprise of the Province, they would have reached their present state of perfection, or yielded a revenue like the above in the exicting state of the country. The amount of bread stuffs imported from the United States, and con- sumed in Nova Scotia, has been estimated at £90.000 per annum. That sum is nearly balanced by the sup- plies of coal, grindstones, gypsum, cordwood, and other natural and unmanufactured produce, sent hence to that country. The value of these resources can there- fore scarcely be too highly estimated, and their devel- opement and application should receive the highest encouragement from the Government and every inha^ bitant of the Province. I A general survey of all these native elements of wealth is desirable, as it would evidently enlarge the sphere of industrial action, and tend to improve the state of agriculture and manufactures. 'V There is yet another consideration that should not be overlooked. It is the interest secured in the mo- ther country in behalf of the Province.. The coal of Nova Sootia is of great consequence to Groat Britain, and the encouragement held out by the Colonial de- partment to work the. mines, is evidence of their estir mation. The influence of a distinguished and wealthy body of men in London, who have a direct interest in the welfare of this country, is also of importance, and all tend to its safety and lasting attachment to the British Crown, NOVA-SCOTIA. 289 ORES OF THE COAL MEASURES. Copper Ore. — Thin seams of copper ore are seen in the red sandstones of Minudie. At Tatmagouche, Car- riboo, and the rivers of Pictou, small deposits of the sul-> phuret and green carbonate of copper have been found among the strata of the coal series. It is a curious fact that those ores are now the fossilizing materials of some of the large trees of the coal period. A few years ago, a copper mine was opened at Bathurst, in New Bruns- wick, and from it several tons of ore were removed. Upon examination, I found that the ore only occupied the site of a large fossil tree, lying prostrate between the strata of sandstone, and which had been transmuted into gray copper ore. The removal of this fossil com- pletely exhausted ihe mine. Copper trees occur at the above, and other places, and some of them have been v/orked for mineral veins. The ore is frequently compact, although it is often fil- tered into a coal, or lignite, in which the vegetable tex- ture of the original wood remains distinct. Fossil trees, consisting of iron ore, are found in similar situations ; — they have evidently been produced by the in^.ltration of water, holding copper, or iron, in solution ; they are not evidences of the existence of valuable beds of iron. Argillaceous Oxide oflron^ Clay Iron Stone ^ or Car- bonate of Iron. — Strata of clay iron stone occur in the coai measures of Pictou and Cumberland. In some in- stances the iron is crystalized. In the nodules of clay iron stone, at the Joggins, I discovered crystals of galena, or lead ore. The clay iron stones afford the chief sup- plies of British iron ; thin strata are worked, and the ore seldom yields more than 35 per cent, upon an aver- *"^ 290 NOVA-SCOTIA. age. The proximity of coal, iron, and limestone, in the carboniferous rocks, has justly been viewed as providen- tial. The clay iron stone of Nova Scotia is ample for the purposes of smelting, independent of the richer ores of the older rocks. Besides the minerals contained in the carboniferous series, many of the strata themselves are very valuable, as they afford superior grindstones, freestones, and flag- stones. The entire coasts bordering upon Northumber- land Strait and Chignecto Bay, present strata of gray, red, and chocolate colored sandstones. The Province Building, Dalhousie College, and other public edifices at Halifax, are built of the gray grits of the former shore, from which annual exports of grindstones are also made to the United States^ Freestones are also ex- ported from Cumberland. Flagstones of every thick* ness may be obtained from the cliffs fronting thb sea. At Apple River, where the waves undermine the strata* smooth flags of hard sandstones, from an inch to four inches in thickness, and frequently containing 150 super- ficial feet, fall to the beach. Similar rocks also occur near Diligence river, at Parrsboro'. When first quar- ried, the freestones are readily cut and sculptured. They are much hardened by being exposed to the sun. Care and experience are requisite in selecting these freestones for building purposes, for some of the strata are incapable of resisting the vissiscitudes of the weather. Freestones are annually shipped from Shepody to the United States, yet they are in no wise superior to those of the Nova Scotia side of the channel. Grindstone grits are common, and they are most extensively cut at the South Joggins, in the county of Cumberland. Dix- ring the summer season the manufacture of grindstones employs about 500 men, who reside in temporary huts scattered along the borders of vhe cliffs. NOVA^SCOTIA. eoi During the recess of the tide, the strata are broken iiear lower water mark, and large masses of rock arc secured between boats, which, at high water, are lifted up and hauled to the shore, where the stone is cut into grindstones from four to six feet in diameter> and from ten to eighteen inches in thickness. Theee are called water-stone, and they are employed in the manufactories of the United States. A smaller kind of grindstone is made from the sand- stones situated above high water mark. The principal site of these operations is at a place called the *' Bank Quarry," owned by Amos Seamen, Esq., of Minudie. A peculiar stratum at this place, called the <' bluo grit," is covered by 30 feet of gravel. The drift has been removed at much cost, and the stratum has been follow- ed 200 yards by a level, and a railway r«.:nniDg into the bank. After the rock has been blasted, it is removed to the cutting house, where it is speedily fashioned into grindstones, by the workmen. This labor might be ad- vantageously executed by machinery. The grindstones from this quarry are superior to any other ever disco- v<)r in America ; and besides being generally employea in the country, they meet with a ready sale in the Ame- rican market, and in England. They are also made in the interior, and at " Ragged Reef," two miles far- ther south, between which place, and the Bank quarry, are the works of the Mining Association at the coal mmes. The price of a stone 24 inches in diameter, and 4 inches thick, is from 2s. to 3s. at the quarries, and the larger kinds in proportion to their dimensions* The number of grindstones exported from the ccunty of Cumberland in the year ending 5th January, 1848, was 33,075, value @ 2s. 6d. each, £4134 7s. 6d. Grind- stones, freestones, and other ropks employed in archi- 2 k w mimn 1 ' v' J'-.^". .f* 292 NOVA-SCOTIA. tecture, are more abundant, and may be more readily broug^ht into operation in Nova Scotia than in any other part of North America ; they, therefore, rank among the valuable industrial resources of the Province. Minerals of the Trap Rocks — Iron Ore of the Cobe- qiUd Mountains. — A rich and inexhaustible deposit of iron ore appears on the shore side of the Cobequid Mountains, as they are called — although, in reality, they are only hills, as they seldom exceed 200 feet in height. I made an examination of the ore at Folly Mountain, a part of the range, late in the autumn of 1845. The ore had been known to exist twenty years before, and the inhabitants bad shipped small quantities of it to the United States, supposing it ^o be manganese. The hills of the Folly river are chiefly composed of iquartz rock, slate, and limestone, which have been pierced by dikes of trap. The direction of the strata is nearly east and west, and they are almost perpendicular. Although the ore runs parallel to the strata, it occupies a space quite irregular in its dimensions. The numer* ous branching veins that fill the adjoining limestone, slate, and trap, and the cryBtalllne nature of the ore and its walls, are evidences that it was produced by injection. In other situations I found it associated with trap altogether. The compact ore is covered with iron in almost every stage of oxidization, or ochres, and its outcrop is marked by detached pieces of brown hematite, or hydrate of iron>— the hematite being also found among the drift to the south. At the above place, one, and perhaps both walls of the ore are composed of limestone, containing innumer- able veins. It is mixed in all proportions, and on the surface both are seen in the progress of decomposition. I caused an excavation to be made across the principal vein to the distance of 20 feet, and to a depth of 8 feet, NOVA-SCOTIA. 293 but it did not reach either wall. At the deepest part of the pit the ore was compact ; but stilU from its prox- imity to the surface, it doubtless contains more oxygen than at lower depths. The thickness of the vein has not been ascertained with any degree of accuracy ; but 80 far as an opinion can be formed, it varies from 20 to 80 feet, and at some points it is probably still wider. Its resources are therefore perfectly inexhaustible, and its association with the limestone required for a flux is peculiarly favorable. The ore itself is the specular iron of several authors, and the specular oxide of iron of Cleveland. It is a pure peroxide of the metal, consisting of 69 of iron and 31 oxygen, in 100 parts of the ore, which will yield from 60 to 70 per cent, of cast metal. Its productiveness,, however, cannot be fairly tested, except by the reduction of the ore upon a large scale. From its variable de- grees of richness, some of the published assays, or ana- lyses as they have been termed, are contradictory. It has been stated that this ore can be cast into steel at a single smelting ; but I am of opinion that it will require a process similar to that devoted to the same ore in other countries. This kind of iron is not rare in pri-^ mary and trappean rocks. In the Island of Elba it constitutes whole mountains. It is common in Sweden and Norway. In the United States it traverses gneiss, and granite. Since the foregoing observations were made, I have traced the iron ore along the southern front of the Co- bequid hills to the distance of twenty miles, and probably its range is of still greater extent. It crosses the Big Village rivar, in Londonderry, and between tliat stream and the Folly, as it is ironically called, the ore evidently exists in mountain masses. It may also be seen in small quantities on the road crossing the mountain towards^ 294 NOTA-SCOTIA. i'iX':',^:t '^. the River Philip. Farther west, in the township of Economy, it is said to be plentiful. It has been found in the forests bordering upon the Chiganois, and north river of Onslow, z:\d on the higher lands west- ward of tho road between River John and Archibald's Inn, on the road between Truro and Pictou. I found the best evidences of its easterly extension about two and a half miles from the Inn. The ores taken from those several places agree in their general characters, and evidently belong to the same wide-spread dike, or vein. This is the richest and most valuable deposit of iron ore found in the Province, and the advantages it offers fbr smelting and manufacture are unrivalled. Its whole line is covered by the native forest, from which may be obtained abundant supplies of fuel, and charcoal for the manufacture of steel. The coal-measures also approach the ore within the distance of a mile ; and at one site at least there is a workable bed of coal already discovered, and within two and a half miles of the vein. The Cobe- quid hills, and also the ore, are pierced by several streams, of sufficient magnitude to carry powerful ma- chinery ; and Minas Basin, from which a part of the vein is not to exceed eight miles distant, offers a free channel of exportation. The Big Village and the Folly Rivers are, perhaps, most conveniently situated for the above objects. With abundant supplies of rich ore, situated at the surface of the earth, where it may be readily quarried, at the very sites of powerful hydraulic forces, is it possible that the Cobequid iron will fail in drawing out the enterprise of the inhabitants of Nova Scotia, and persons of capital abroad ? Will it indeed be allowed to remain in the earth an inert and worthless mass, while the demand for railway iron alone is constantly multiply- ing the furnaces of other countries, and the Province is Im NOVA-SCOTIA. 299 supplied with iron from a foreign power. The iron orea of Great Britain do not yield on an average more than 35 per cent, of cast metal ; — many of them are taken from the clay iron-stone beds of the coal fields — scarcely exceeding a foot in thickness, and from great depths. A tract of land, containing a part of the vein at the Folly Mountain, was purchased by John Ross, Esq., in 1845, and a suitable site on the river was also secured by him for the purpose of smelting the ore. An Act of the Legislature has since been obtained, incorporating the Londonderry Mining Company, and a number of capitalists have been enlisted to carry on the work. Ak this site, and others adjoining, the iron was not reserved to the crown in the grants of land. The ore is also abundant on the mining property of the General Mining Association of London, who, since its discovery, it is hoped will take early measures to establish furnaces, and bring it into use. We may now briefly advert to the trap rocks skirting the south side of the Bay of Fundy, and also forming the Capes and Islands of the Township of Parrsboro*. These minerals are numerous, but they are valuable as objects of science and curiosity rather than for their in-^ trinsic properties. The veins of magnetic iron ore at Parrsboro*, Blomi^ don, and Digby Neck, cannot be profitably worked, The same may be 8tated of the manganese. The ame- thystS) agates, and jaspers, are very beautiful when polished. The trap rocks of Cape d'Or and Peter's Point occasionally contain small pieces of native cop- per ; yet, from a careful examination where that metal occurs, I have been led to the opinion that it does not ^xist in any workable quantity at either of those pla- ces. I have recently discovered veins of the sulphate 290 NOVA-SCOTIA. ,«r 1^1 of barytes in the trap rocks of Cape Chignecto. Thia mineral may hereafter be manufactured into pigments. All the minerals of the trap have been described.* From being peculiar to the country, a new variety found at Parrsboro', has been called Acadialite, in honor of ancient Acadia. The following minerals are found in the trap rocks of Nova Scotia : — Acadialite, Ilairstone, Agate, Albin, Heliotrope, Heulandite, Amethyst, Hogtooth Spar, Amethystine Sinteri Hornstone. Analcime, Apophyllite, Iron, magnetic oxide of Arragonite, " specular oxide of Aupite. " hydrate of Jasper, Tiasalt, " red. jBarytea, sulphate of " ribband.. CalcaroouB Spar, Ledererite, Chalcedony, Laumonite, Carbonate of Iron* Lead, sulphuret. Carnelian, Cachalong, Manganese, gray oxide- Chalcedonx, Mesotype^ Carbonate of Lams,, Chlorite, Needlestone.. Chabasie, Chlorophaeite, Opal, semiopal^ Copper, pure native, Onyx, agate.. " green carbonatei " blue carbonate, Phrenite^ " sulphuret, " red oxide.. Quartz.. Gypsum, compact. Selenite, " anhydrous, Silicious Sinter, " fibrous, Slilbite. " black, " white^ Tremolite. '• red. Zeolite. • See Gesner's Geology and Mineralogy of Nova Scotia. Halifax t Gossip Ss, Coade, 1836. ■.: ,1 MOVA-SCOTIA. 297 The highly crystalized state, and the curious assocta* lions of these minerals, render them extremely interest-* ing to the mineralogist. In the spring, when the rocks iiave been fractured and dilapidated by the previous winter's frost, many of them may be readily collected on the shores. The visitor, however, should be cautious in approaching the cliffs early in the spring, when im-> mense masses of rock fall headlong into the sea, or cover the shores with rubbish. The trap rocks present some of the most majestic scenery in the Province. Perpen- dicular precipices, sometimes 400 feet high, front the shore, and brooks fall in shower baths from the summits of lofty basaltic columns. The minerals and scenery of the district have attracted many visitors to the country, and will ever be of interest to the traveller and man of science. Building Stones. — Among the varied productions of the mineral kingdom, rocks adapted to architectural purposes, hold an important rank. In the densely po- pulated districts of £urope, and where wood is at once scarce and costly, quarries of such rocks are very valu- able. In new coitntries like Nova Scotia, where there is an abundance of timber, and buildings are therefore con- structed of wood, freestones and other durable rocks are neglected, and they will remain so to a greater or less extent, until the chief parts of the forests have been felled, and the native wood falls below certain dimen- sions, and its price rises above its real value, as com- pared with more durable materials. Nava Scotia is abundantly stored with the peculiar strata, adapted to the construction of buildings of every description, and also the calcareous and argillaceous compounds employed for cements, or mortars. The relative facilities by which these materials may be ob- :tained, and which will always affect their prices, will ''^ mi' NOVA-ICOTll. VTT ■ k: i' U5fr "T ''''v yf. Jf .;;. also press itself upon the consideration of the buildet^ The facilities for obtaining building stones are gene- ral, and the best freestones are admirably presented for quarrying and transportation — circumstances to be at- tributed to the great extent of the coal fields in which they occur. The practice of selecting such stones as yield most readily to the chisel, and are therefore called freestones^ has, in Europe, led to serious errors. Formerly the mineral ogical characters of such rocks were disregard- ed : hence many beautiful edifices are seen crumbling to the ground from the decomposing influence of the atmosphere, moisture, and other meteoric ap:ents. At the present period a better system prevails, and both the geologist and mineralogist are employed in deter- mining the characters of the rocks intended for build- ings. In some parts of Europe, stately mansions are undergoing decay, while the humble cottages taken from the same quarry, but composed of stones that were rejected because they yielded less readily to the sculptor's chisel, are found to be durable. It is melancholy to observe in the old country the number of churches, cathedrals, abbeys, and public edifices, that are mouldering away from the inattention or ignorance of their builders. Indeed it appears that the Normans paid little attention to the quality of the stone, which was usually taken from the nearest quarry. In their time the mineralogical characters of rocks employed for buildings were very imperfectly under- stood ;-— indeed it is surprising that many edifices have lasted so long. The carbon contained in the smoke and soot, bountifully distributed in large towns, con- tributes to the preservation of some of the freestones. In retired situations lichens will frequently creep over MOVA-SCOTtA. 299 the surface of a building of stone, and protect it in some degree from decay. Such lichens are, however, less common in America than in the climates of the old country. In estimating the durability of any stone to resist decomposition, or disintegration, its coarseness, or fine-* ness must bo taken into consideration independent of its chemical nature. B^ormerly the choice of rocks was left with the builder, or mason who generally se- lected such masses as were readily worked, without much regard to their durability. Even m some of the most compact granites the feldspar will crumble away and leave the stone porous and friable. All quarries should be carefully inspected by a min- eralogist, whose science is not less useful in this than in other branches of his department. To these remarks it is only necessary to add a list of the principal building mn rials, and the earthy sub- stances used in the arts and manufactures — the sites of which have already been noticed : — Granite, Red Sandstone, Sienite, Freestones, Porphyry, (I Kray, Serpentine, u brown, Limestone, u chocolate col'd. Marble, u blue grit Grindstone, Sand, Flagstone, Clay, Paving Stones, Potter's Clay, Roofing Slate, Fire Clay, Trap Rock, Alun; Slate ■1- Quartzite, Alum Clay, Grauwacke, Ochres. dlluHiti * There are alum and copperas slates in the neighbourhood of Ha- lifax. Alum clay sometimes occurs at the bottom of peat bogs. Somd of these clays are sidphurous. 2l !■¥ 300 NOVA^SCOTIA. r / •,• fiV!- CHAPTER X. CAPE-BRETON. . \ General dascription of— 'Climate — Early Exports — Louisburg— His- tory of— Fortifications — Ruins — The Bras d'Or^ situation, Settle- ments — Resources — Bourlardrie— Sydney harbour, coal, coal mines, town, soil, agriciilture — Lingan— 'Mmi Bay and River— Gabarus — Isle Madame — -- ichat'— Carabacou — Gut of Canseau — Port Hood — Cheticamp— I/rranishe — Cape North, Moiuitains of— Unexplored lA»n(d»^Fifihed*»^S^ports — Shipping. If-; It is now necessary toi give some account of the Island of Cape Breton, which forms a valuable part of the Province, and eq[uals the main land in natural re- sources. Abounding in coal, limestone, gypsum, and other minerals, the soil is fertile, except at its northern and mountainous extremity, and a ./^g a part of its Atlantic side between Isle Madame and Gabarus Bay. There is also some boggy ground in the interior. The southern and western shores abound in harbours, and the deep Bras d'Or penetrates the very centre of the Island, extending its naWgation into the remote forests and to inexhaustible strata of mineral fuel. The wa- ters also teem with fish of every variety, and the inland districts still afford supplies of excellent timber. The climate of Cape-Breton is similar to that of Nova Scotia proper. It ripens all kinds of grain, Indian corn, and all the staple fruits and vegetables of North America, The accounts given by some of the early NOVA-SCOTIA. 301 geographers of this fine Island are yearly contradicted by experience ; and although the winters are long and severe, the summer is warm, and vegetation i: corresn ]X)ndingly rapid. The resources of the Island are but imperfectly known. An adequate account of its agri- cultural capabilities, mineral wealth, and fisheries, has never been given, nor cannot now be made except by a general public exploration. Cape-Breton, originally called Isle Royale, Was first discovered by John Cabot, a Bristol navigator. The early voyageurs to it were from Bretagne, in France i hence the origin of its present name. France always considered this Island as the key to the St. Lawrence, and she expended 30,000,000 of livres in the fortifica- tion of the capital, Louisburg, so called in honor of her sovereign. During its occupation by the French^ it exported 6,800,000 quintals of fish annually, and 60O vessels wore employed in its trade and fisheries. But the se- curity it offered to the fleets of a rival power, and the Indians who aided the French in their attacks upon the British settlements, the value of its position and fisheries, excited a determined spirit of hostility against it ; and a fortress, considered to be impregnable, was taken by the enthusiastic colonists of New England, under Colonel Pepperall, who were excited to the en- terprise by Whitfield's hatred of papacy. In 1747 the Island again reverted to the French, but was regained by General Aniherat, in 1758, and finally secured to the English, who afterwards razed the fortifications to the ground. The brave Wolfe distinguished himself at the second conquest. The busy town, with its lofty cathedral, and theatre, once flocked with inhabitants, and the crews of hundreds of ships, has long since dis* iWi U* ' 302 NOVA-SCOTIA. ',' ^, T' V ' IP-V M't appeared. The high walls that bristled with cannon, the ditch, the glacis and portcullis, have almost dis- appeared—the bomb-proofs and magazine have become sheepfolds, and the stronghold of the French in Ame- rica is a heap of rubbish, overgrown with lichens. I had an opportunity of visiting the ruins of Louis-, burg, the ancient capital of Acadia, in November last. The town and fortifications have been described by- Mr. Halliburton, in his history of Nova Scotia. The light-house on the northern side of the entrance of the harbour stands on a bold rocky cliff, once occupied by a strong battery. The dilapidated walls of the great battery of forty guns on the northern side of the har- bor, and another on the opposite shore, now appear like natural mounds, being covered with clover, and other grasses. The little island at the harbor's mouth has yielded to the operations of the waves, and a part of the fortification has fallen into the sea ; but the walls, intrenchments, and the town of Louisburg— the missiles — the blown up batteries — levelled city, and the bleached bones of the dead, now seen mingled with the soil, best show the sacrifices made to secure the advantages of the situation. The arched places of arms, and bomb-proofs of the citadel, are still entire. Three of them are sheepfolds — another is occupied by a fisherman for a cabbage cellar, and time has incrusted the ceilings of all with small stalactites. The foun- dations of the barracks, chapels, the nunnery, hospital, and other public buildings, are still perfect ; and the cells of the prison are almost unbroken, as is also the kiln of a large brewery. The present inhabitants are supplied with water from the Governor's well, and the walls of some of the buildings and chimneys are twelve feet high. NOVAi-SCOTIA. 3oa Outside of the principal line of fortifications there ia a peat bog from one-half to three-quarters of a mile iri width. At a small mound of gravel in the bog, and within 400 yards of the citadel, I observed the remains of the breastwork thrown up by the Provincials pre- vious to their capture of the place under Colonel Pep- perall. The bog extends across the peninsula from the harbour to the sea. Colonel Cochran, an uncle of the present Earl of Dundonald, fell in approaching the for- tress along the line of the sea wall. Louisburg was built upon a peat bog. The peat now appears in the ditches, cut by the present inhabi- tants. The ancient city is now occupied by half a dozen poor fishermen and their families, who raise a few potatoes and cabbages in the old gardens and bor tween the walls of the fallen buildings. The houses and sides of the fortifications were chiefly built of a porphyritic trap — a prevailing rock here. The quarry is seen about half a mile from the town. The stones were employed in their rough state. With them I found a handsome cut rock, closely resembling the Portland stone of England. I have been informed that this rock was obtained by the French at Mira River, but I have never seen any like it in America. Pieces of fine polished marble were also found among the ruins of the Governor's dwelling. Among tlit; relics T brought from the place, there is one half of a bomb- shell, 13 inches in diameter, cannon and musket balls, flints, hand granades, double-rheaded shot, locks, hin- ges, keys, axes, ■' creepers'^ for walking on ice, dc-c. I also found a copper coin of Louis XIV. The space within the walls has an area oi about 50 square acres. To demolish the fortifications of Louisburg, the British Government expended £10,000. The effects tiii 1 304 NOVA-SCOTU. «:4 i^" ••'. 1 Si 1 r of powetiul blasting are to bo seen eiTGrywhere, yet parts of the batteries are still 20 feet high. It is im^ possible to visit these ruins and not feel a deep regret that the city should have been thus d^:)stroyed, the port itself being very advantageously situated for pro- secuting the fisheries. There is no doubt the work of destruction sprung from the hatred of the provincials, many of whose relatives had been barbarously treated, and murdered within its walls, rather than from a po- licy that called for its demolition. The country surrounding the harbor i. low and rocky. It does not appear that the French inhabitants r • er made any attempt to cultivate the soil — their sub- v^' ance was drawn from the fisheries. The shores are now but thinly inhabited, and the inhabitants are sus- tained by the productions of the sea, and a coasting trade in coals. From Louisburg to Mira River, and thence to Sydney, there is a good road, and the lands are of excellent quality. The Island of Cape- Breton is about 100 miles in length — the greatest breadth is 60 miles. The coast circuit is nearly 300 miles ; and, excepting the western shore, it is remarkable for its deep bays and narrow promontories. It embraces an area of 2,000,000 of acres, of v\rhich, perhaps, 1,300,000 acre® are fit for cultivation. The Island is remarkable for a Mediterranean se^ venty miles in length, called the Bras d'Or, which opens into the sea between St. Ann's Bay and Sydney ; and, excepting an instmus 400 yards wide, at St. Peters, it divides the land into two unequal portions. The Gulf has the Island of Boulardrie at its mouth, and which divides it into two channels. The lesser passage wil! not admit large vessels. The great Bras NOVA-SCOTIA. 305 d'Or aad its entrance are navigable for ships of the line. This beautiful sheet of water expands itself into many bays and inlets, through the central portion of the Island, affording a safe and easy communication with its shores and the main ocean. Its northern arm terminates at Whycocomagh, besides which we have Waatchaktcht, Malagawaalchkt, and Edoobekuk bays, that still retain their Indian names. The most south- erly and narrowest passage is called Little Bras d'Or, which, uniting with the great inlet, forms an expanded and very beautiful lake-like sea. About seventeen miles from the entrance of the main channel, which will scarcely exceed three quarters of a mile in breadth, the granite is succeeded by conglomerate, limestone, and thick beds of gypsum — the latter appears in cliffs upon the shores. The Island of Boulardrie belongs to the coal field ; and coal, limestone, and gypsum, appear further west- ward. Excepting a few flourishing settlements, the shores of the Bras d'Or are but thinly inhabited ; and on long lines of the lake border there is not a human habitation. The beauty of the bays, with their thick wooded Islands and gently sloping shores, can be better imagined than described j and when their resources are considered, the gulf justly deserves the title of an arm of gold. The soil is of good quality, and there is much good timber at inconsiderable distances from the inflowing streams. Excepting the west coast, the Island abounds in fine harbours, and the shores are peculiarly favorable for the occupation of the fisheries. Since the fall of Louisburg, Sydney has been the capital. The entrance to the hatbour is wide, and the shores present chains of «<,«/■ ' , ft 306 NOVA-SCOTlAi sfnallyfarms, cultivated by Highlanders. The rocks all belong to the coal series, containing cdal, and a great variety of the beautiful fossils belonging tu the carbon- iferous group. North Sydney, or the loading ground^ as it is called, is a snug village, and the sea terminus of the rail-way from the mines, three miles distant. The coal i? delivered on board the vessels by allowing i^ to fall directly from the rail cars in their holds. In the neighborhood of the mines, and extending westerly up the iiide of the harbour, there are a number of fine f: rms^ and agriculture is steadily progressing. At the time of my visit, there were thirty square-rigged vessels in the harbour, — most of them were from the United States, and employed in the coal trade. Sydney is built upon a peninsula, in another arm of the harbour, five miles to the south. On its extremity there is a block-house, and a small battery, with barracks, occupied by soldiers. On the precincts of the town there are well-cultivated fields, and the opposite side of the estuary displays the progress of husbandry and good taste. The lands in all directions are capable of a high degree of cultivation, but they are still in a wilderness state, except along the borders of the bays, and some of the principal streams. A small steamer runs constantly between North and South Sydney, and the employment of a regular mail and passage steamboat between the Port and Halifax has greatly promoted a communication with this valuable section of Nova Scotia. Besides its vast supplies of coal, and a good agricultural surface, Sydney is very favorably situated for the prosecution of the fisheries and general commerce. That it has advan- ced but slowly, may therefore excite surprise ; but, like other parts of the Island, its advantages and resources are almost unknown, even in the neighbouring Provinces. In Great Britain the climate and general character of J»IOVA-SCOtlA. 3oy t^&'pe Breton have been misrepresented ; and while great efforts have been made to bring into operation the ele- ments of wealth in other colonies, those of this valuable portion of her Majesty's possessions remain unimproved. In no part of British America is there a more promising field for a respectable class of immigrants, and the appli- cation of capital to the developement of the natural pro- ductions of the sea and land. A full account of the Island and its resources is still a desideratum in colonial literature. Lingan is a fine open Bay, but a shoal, situated across its mouth, renders it inaccessible for ships of heavy bur- then. The land is excellent, and where it is not settled there is much marketable timber. Near Cow Bay Head the cliffs fronting the sea contain thick strata of coal, which constantly falls to the beach, and is washed away. Some of the coal has been reduced to cinders by fire. Mire Bay is a beautiful sheet of water, which receives a river of the same name flowing in from the westward forty miles. The Island of Scatarie, situated off the Bay, is usually the first land made by vessels bound to this part of America. It has been the theatre of many shiprvrecks. The soil is rocky and barren. Mainadieu^ a small harbour sheltered by the Island, is occupied by a number of families, who are actively employed in the coal trade and fisheries. Port Nuevo, the south-eastern extremity of the Island, is low ; thence westward the shore is uneven. Gabarus is a deep bay. The shores in this quarter were settled by American loyalists, and their descend- ants have greatly improved the features of the country. From this place to St. Esprit the shores consist of red sandstones, which always indicate a good soil. It has been iBtated that the interior lands in this quarter are barren, yet this opinion may have arisen from the gloomy aspect produced by fires that destroy the herbage. At Grand 2m ill 308 NOVA-SCOTIA. itT' r«'l. River the soil is of good quality, and a settlement of Scotch emigrants are rapidly extending cultivation. The remaining part of the shore to the Gut of Can- seau is broken into small bays and inlets, many of which are settled by the descendants of the Acadian French. These people cultivate small farms, and engage actively in tho fisheries. Isle Madame is separated from the main Island by Lennox passage, which is dotted with pretty islands. Madame is sixteen miles long. Every advan- tage is here offered for the prosecution of the rich fish- eries, but the soil on the Atlantic shore is scanty and rather meagre. Arichat has long been celebrated for its exports of the produce of the sea. The present population will exceed 3000, chiefly Acadians. The trade is carried on prin- cipally by merchants from Jersey, who employ the inha- bitants in taking and curing the fish. In 1828, 39,200 quintals of dry cod, and 12,559 barrels of pickled fish were exported ; and in 1833, 2000 tons of shipping were built at this port, (Murray.) The border of the Gut of Canseau, on the Cape Breton shore, is thickly settled by highlanders. This coast also has excellent harbours. Caribou cove is a splendid haven, and coal is seen at Coal Harbor and the River Inhabitants. During my excur- sion up this river, I observed a fish upwards of 20 feet in length, on the shore. Upon examination it wasfound to be the AnarnacusGreenlandicusy a species of the Nar- whal. It is called the black fish, by the inhabitants, who frequently capture it for the oil. It visits this and other rivers annually.' The Scotch settlement continues to the excellent har- bour of Port Hood, the county town for the northern district. Still farther on the shore becomes bold and precipitous. The abrupt headland of Cape Mabou affords a harbour for small vessels. The inhabitants are American loyaUsts, Scotch, and Irish. The banks NOVA-SCOTU. 30» of Marguerie, or Salmon river, fifty miles north of Port Hood, is occupied by flourishing settlements of Acadians, who are also scattered along the coast as far as Cheti* camp, where the Jersey merchants have another fishing station. The remaining part of the coast is but thinly inhabited, and there is no shelter for vessels. A large tract of country in the northern part of the Island is occupied by lofty mountains of granitic and tr&ppean rocks. This tract has never been explored, and I have only had an opportunity of making a few hasty observa- tions along a part of the coast. The whole shore from Cape St. Lawronce to Cape North, and thence to Inga- nishe, presents perpendicular cliffs of granite and other igneous masses, which descend into the sea without a beach border ; and at numerous sites a landing cannot be effected, even in calm weather. Against the shelving cliffs of granite and basaltic columns of trap, the sea dashes with terrific violence. This part of rhe Island is the highest land in Nova Scotia. Some of the moun- tains exceed 1200 feet in height. Between them there are deep gorges, flanked by almost vertical precipices reaching from the level of the sea to the summits of the mountains, some of which are levelled off at their tops. The ice and snow of winter form glaciers, the debris of which is seen in the vallies. The scenery is majestic beyond any in the Province. The soil on the slopes is very scanty, and the summits of the hills consist of naked rock, undecked even by the hardy moss. About two miles north-east of Cape North is a steep naked rock, called St. Paul Island, at which thousands of seamen have perished. It is one of the most dangerous rocks upon the whole coast. Human bones, and even coins, are frequently seen along its sides, upon which many a noble ship has been dashed to atoms. Galena, or lead ore, is found in the rocks. St. Ann's harbour has a narrow inlet, but it is, perhaps, one of the safest havens t'l 310 NOVA-ICOTIA, 1 •?.'■ ^hH ia America. The soil on its shores is good, and the scenery is very bold aiul picturesque. I have already adverted to the fisheries of Cape Breton and to the mines in the chapter de. :ed to that subject. It is quite evident from the natur*" >^' the rocks, that the soils of the Island have been underrated ; and it appears from several reports that the agricultural capabiHties of this portion of Nova Scofia are fully equal to those of the main land, if they are not superior. The mixed employment of agriculture, fishing, and lumbering, have retarded husbandry ; and the tillage of the soil is evi. deiitly far behind that of the western counties of the Province. It is on this account that we hear of more or less annual lack of provisions. This does not arise from the sterility of the soil, as some have supposed. The descendants of the Acadian French never till their lands upon a large scale ; and emigrants from the highlands of Scotland are less skilful and persevering in their in.* dustry than their own descendants, or those of the old Kew England settlers. The position of Cape Breton in regard to the fisheries of the North American coast is peculiarly favorable. To this may be added the number and safety of its harbours — the abundance of fish that frequent the coasts, and its advantages for capturing seals. The coal mines also are sources of wealth, and the interior lands abound in timber. With ail these advantages, the Island will bear no comparison with other, but less favored parts of North America. Its resources are not known nor ap-< predated abroad, and such aj have been discovered are very inadequately improved. The coasts are much ex- posed to smugglers and trespassers upon the fisheries ; the prosperity of the Island, therefore, depends as much upon its maritime protection as upon the encouragement offered to internal industry. The following tables will ftid m making an estimate of Us lawful commerce ; — N0VA-SC0T14. 311 PORT OP SYDNEY. An Auounl of the Tonnage and value qf Imports and Experts at Iht Port qf Sydney for the year ended 5th January, 1844. IMF0RT8. ■XPOETB. Ships Tons StgValuo Ships Tons StgValud G'-'^it Britain British North America . British West Indies . . . Foreign Europe "United States of America Mexican Ports Colonies of France .... Port* of Nova Scotia . . . 5 191 1 6 63 40 441 1031 18078 178 1606 7383 3167 25111 £10,987 4,936 71 3,361 485 33,449 8 194 2 1 67 3 8 446 344 17497 611 120 13505 988 373 24132 £2405 23,891 286 79 9,387 468 221 38,444 Total 737 56488 £53,360 | 764 '5762o!£75,182 IF An Account of Coala exported in the year ended 5th Jan^y., 1844. To the United States of America, . . 11,668 chaldrons. . British North American Colonies, 14,994 " Ports in Nova Scotia 20,060 " British West Indies 382 " St. Pierre and Miquelon, .... 92 " Vera Cruz 624 " Foreign Europe, 106 " Total 47,926 chaldrons. PORT OF ARICHAT. An Abstract Account of the tonnage and value of Imports andExpoii» at the Port ofArichat,for the year ended 5th Jan^y,, 1844. IMP0BT8. EXPORTS. Ships Tons StgValue Ships Tons StgValuo Great Britain Jersey and Guernsey . . British North America . British West Indies . . . Foreign Europe United States of America BrazU, Cuba, &c., &c. . . Ports in Nova Scotia . . 7 7 83 1 19 9 116 2139 824 4067 131 2603 491 5842 £1,963 3,170 6,448 85 1,098 767 16,200 2 16 121 4 a 4 2 146 197 100 6617 493 394 553 205 7077 £ 400 1,056 19,627 5,207 3,000 909 2,173 11,353 Total 252 15097 £28,721 , 284 15636 £43,626* *Simmonds' Colonial Magazine, 1844. 312 N0VA-8C0TIA. p ^• m fc!l" ? 1 ^> if;. n 1 A glance at the map would almost satisfy the inveter- ate sceptic, that no where can there be found a position so favorable for maritime pursuits as that of Cape Bre- ton. It was with this view that France expended her millions of livres in fortifying Louisburg. Where are there to bo found such harbours, mines, fisheries, facili- ties of inland transport, materials for ships, and schools for seamen ; and to these has been added a soil capable of yielding the ordinary bounties produced by husbandry. By what mysterious ag«mcies are these vast industrial resources withheld from the swollen population of the parent country — grown turbulent from the want of food — disaifected from the lack of employment ? When will Britain expand her labour in this direction, and strength- en herself upon lands only seven days sail from her. shores ? The invitation of the scattered population is, come — come and help us to redeem these fertile lands, and sweep from the ocean the fish now purloined by foreign powers ; — come and help us to maintain the in- stitutions that were so dear to our forefathers, and the soveyeignty under which we have lived and choose to die. M0VA-8C0TU. 313 CHAPTER XI. RAILWAYS AND EM[GRATION. Proposed Halifax and Quebec Railway — origin of, narrative of pro- ccodiiigs — rroposod tormiuxts at Whitehaven — Survey — direction of — Rosourcos along the line — Branches — Eifocts upon indugtry — • cost — advantages, &c. — Ha'U'ax and Windsor Railway — Proposed Railways in NcwBriuiswiek — Electric Telegraph — llmigration, pre- sent state of, promoted by railways — Classes of Emigrants — Vacant Lands — General and concluding remarks. It is now universally admitted that the introduction of railways into her Majesty's colonies in North America is of the utmost consequence to their future prosperity and safety. The idea of forming a continuous commu* nication between Great Britain and China by steam na- vigation and railways, first suggested itself to McTag- gart. It also occurs in Lord Durham's, and other re- ports on Canada. But up to January, 1845, no attempt had ever been made to give this idea a reality. It ap- pears that the first person in England who made any effort to direct the attention of the Government to this subject, and bring the matter under public considera- tion, was Sir Richard Broun, one of the Baronets of Nova Scotia, who, at the above period, was engaged in forming a colonization company which would unite in the interests of those Baronets — the revival of whose order has been a subject of serious consideration, — the commutation of their claims having been reduced volun- 314 NOVA-ICOTIA. fett^ KM'' .-I'-... ill ■^' '■- I . ' \ tarily to two and a half millionB of acrei of wild land( which the Baronets propose to settle without deloy. Sir llicimrd Broun entered into correspondence with Mr. William Bridges, Secretary of the Cork and Fermoy Uailway, since abandoned. The magnitude and advan- tages of the work soon gave it suflicient popularity to produce action. A provisional committee was formed in London, from whom have emanated several applica- tions made to Parliament and the colonies for aid in the gigantic undertaking. A pare of the provisional committee in London waited upon Lord Stanley, who informed them that the Oo" vernment would forward their views if the colonies them- selves wou'd support the scheme. In July, 1845, letters were addressed to the Governors of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, who responded favorably to the proposal. A correspondence was opened with influential individuals, and persons best acquainted with tho physical features of the country. A local committee was recommended for Halifax, and the most wealthy in- dividuals in Nova Scotia and in the eastern part of New Brunswick expressed a willingness to aid in the work. Meetings were held at Halifax, and in dlflferent coun- ties of the Province, all approving of the noble enter-^ prize. The Press was also active in its behalf. But unfortunately the London committee assumed a position distasteful to Nova Scotia, and the committee that had been recommended for it were overlooked. Prospec- tuses were printed and widely circulated, bearing upon then: the names of gentle'nen, who were published as directG''8, or members of the locol committees, without their krow'ledge or consent. A Judge of the Supreme Court publicly forbade the furthar uho of his name in this Tianncr. The proceedings began to be viewed with distrust, and from them the capitalists of tho Province MOVirSOOTU. 316 )iave since stood aloof. Discords also arose in the pro- visional committees in London, whose labours full into a disrepute from which they have not been relieved up to the present time. The Home and Colonial Govern- ments have iievortholess continued their interest in the Nubject, and through their agency an exploratory survey has been made for a railway between Halifax and (Que- bec. The report of the military engineers appointed to make the survey, has been made public. It is extreme- ly ("avorable to the entorpriKo ; and Karl Grey, the i)re- »>cnt Colonial nuniHtcr, has expres»ed his approbation of this great national work as being necessary fur the suc- cessful colonization of the country. The Legislature of Nova Scotia has collected a great amount of valuable information in reference to the jictual tr.'.vel and trans- port between the capital and Windsor, and between the isthmus of Cumberland and Halifax. There can be little doubt that iu the event of a rail- way being constructed between Halifax and Quebec, the former would soon rise to bo one of the first commer- cial ports in America. The Qdvuntagcs that would also be given to the Provitico would soon place her upon a par with the most thriving ytatea upon the Great Con- tinent. Nor would New JJrunswick und Canada receive lower benefits from the accomplisbmbec Railway, — Halifax, with one of the finest harbours in the world, well populated, strongly fortified, and gar- risoned, with an immense agricultural country in the rear, and the first landing place for steamers from Great Britain, was to be exchanged for a little summer haven, on a desolate part of the coast near Canseau. Ganseau itself was first selected, and the drift ice of that place scarcely formed an objection to making it the coast outlet of a railway nearly 650 miles in length. In the early part of 1846 a public meeting was held at St. Andrews, and stock to the amount of £^,000 was subscribed for the St. Andrews and Grand Falla Railway. The Hon. Capt. Owen in the chair spoke ■ :f.i I Pi f 318 NOVA-SCOTIA. t'f.'i ^l! ''4 at length upon the great advantages of the harbour of St. Andrews beyond every other part for uniting tho Atlantic with the St. Lawrence. This individual owns the chief part of the Island of Campo Bello, and at the time was prosecuting the survey of the coasts of Nova Scotia under orders from the Admiralty. A survey, or nautical exploration of Canseau, and every other place eastward of Halifax suitable for the terminus of the Great Railway to duebec. Mras determined upon, and in the succeeding summer various reports were made from Capt. Owen to Sir William Colebrooke, disap- proving of Halifax, and recommending, not Canseau, but Whitehaven, a small inlet westward of Canseau, as being '• not only the most conveniently situated, but a splendid and most commodious port," free from ice, " and whose natural facilities of attainment greatly exceed those of Halifax. No less than three reports in praise of Whitehaven and in condemnation of Hali- fax, were officially published in New Brunswick. The oojects of this nautical survey, and the reports that followed, are too apparent to need any comment. In the summer of 1847, the Hon. Samuel Cunard and the Hon. James B. Uniacke were examined before a ccm- mittee of the House of Lords in reference to the colo- nization of British America in connexion with rail- ways.* The extensive knowledge and experience of those gentlemen have no doubt corrected more than one erroneous opinion in regard to the subject then under their consideration ; but other statements have had a tendency to distract the public mind, and divert the attention of the Imperial and Colonial Parliaments away from a most essential medium of colonial im- ♦See Report Select Committee House of Lord?, No. 737, 1847. Mfmum N0TA-9C0TIA. 319 provement. Without the united aid and energy of the Home and Colonial Governments, men of wealth will not advance their capital in an undertaking of such magnitude, and the noble results of the enterprize will never be realized. On the other hand, by the cooper- ation and support of the Imperial Government, with moderate interest taken by the commercial and agri- cultural population of these colonies, the bread of the grain-growing countries farther west — the produce qf the fisheries, and the timber and mineral resources of tiie interior may be brought down to the Atlantic sea- board — the wild forests opened to the reception of thousands of British settlers, and the Provinces united in a common interest alike happy i» Its social relations, and enduring in its strength and attachment to the Empire. By the report of the engineers employed by the Home and Colonial Governments to make an explora- tory survey of the country between the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia and Quebec, it appears that three dif- ferent lines for a railway between those points have been proposed for consideration. 1st. To commence at Halifax, and run across the Province to the Bay of Fundy ; thence by steamer across the Bay to St. John, New Brunswick ; thence along the river St. John to Fredericton and the Grand Falls, and onward to Cliiebec— distance 600 miles. The principal objections to this line, as noticed in my work on New Brunswick,* have not been over- looked by the engineers. They are the delay of cross- ing the bay in summer, and the risks incident to win- ter. In time of war this arm of the sea might be *New Brunswick, •with Notes for Emigranta. and Ward, 1847, pp. 217, 218, 219. London : Simmonds ( ■ ' I.; iM ^M^^- > < 7i. '■♦ '.1 ' . ?(■■ 320 NOTA-SCOTU. occupied by an enemy's fleet, and the northern part of the route would pass too near the American frontier to be defended from interruption even by a large force. To these may be added the existence of engineering difficulties of no ordinary magnitude. 2nd. The second route is recommended to com- mence at Halifax ; then to run to Truro — across the Cobeqnid Mountains to Amherst — along the coast past the harbours of Bay Verte, Shediac, Richibucto, Mira- michi, and Bathurst — to the Restigouche and Metape- diac rivers — to the St. Lawrence, and thence along the right bank of that river to Ciuebec— distance 630 miles. 3rd. To commence at Whitehaven, near Canseau ; to run thence to the river St. Mary's by Pictou to Bay Verte, th© Bend of the Peticodiac — Boistown, and to the Restigouche eastward of the Grand Falls-^whole distance 625 miles. The terminus of Whitehaven has been already treated of, and with the line itself it has been condemned by the persons engaged in the survey. Other mixed routes are briefly described ; but none of them ofl'er advantages to be compared with the line 1 had previously recommended, and that adopted by the engineers as being " the best direjction for the proposed trunk line of railway from an eastern port in Nova Scotia through New Brunswick to Q,uebec." The description is as follows : " From Halifax to Truro, at the head of the Bay of Fundy, passing over the Cobe- quid hills, and on or near to Amherst and Bay Verte, crossing from thence o'i'er to the rivers Richibucto and Miramichi, above the flow of the tide, so as not to in- terfere with their navigation ; then by the valley of the north-west Miramichi and Nepisiguit rivers to Bathurst ; then along the shore of the Bay Chaieurs NOVA-SCOTIA. 321 to the Restigouche river ; then by the valley of the Metapediac over to, or near to, the river St. Lawrence ; then along the banks of the St. Lawrence to Riviere du Loup, and from thence continued through either the second or third concessions along the river until it approaches Point Levi." The immediate local transport of this line, so far as it passes through Nova Scotia, would not perhaps ex- ceed that of the eastern route, but its general advan- tages far surpass those that would arise from any other track, and it intersects the richest mineral districts of the Province. It would open up 10,000,000 acres of wilderness land to agricultural operations, by the sur- plus population of the mother country — an object suf- ficient of itself to render the undertaking one of national consequence. By passing along an extensive line of sea coast, the cost of construction will be much reduced, and the greatest facilities afforded for the transportation of the produce of the fisheries, and the developement of the commercial resources of the Gulph, the St. Lawrencej and the interior Canada. Remote from the Ameri- can boundary, it would be completely safe in the event of a war with the United States, and in peace free from any competition that would aflect its profits. The whole route is over land, an advantage not enjoyed by the American railways along the Atlantic coast, where tlie transfer of goods and passengers from rail cars to steam boats, and steam boats to rail cars, increases the delay and risk of transportation. The principal engineering difficulties to be encoun- tered by the railway between Halifax and Cluebec are the ranges ef high lands extending from east to west, already noticed in the chapter relating to the geology =11 322 «<»i 4-iCCtlA. i7h ■ •-■!(' infe of the country. One of these elevated ritf-^eg extends from the borders ol' the Gut of Canseau to the western extremity of the Province. It is intersected at several places by rivor vallies, one of which fortunately occurs between Halifax and Truro, affording an easy passage for the railway in that direction, along the borders of the terminating lakes of the Shubenacadie, and those that empty themselves into Halifax harbour. The next ridge I have called the Cobcquid range. The railway will ascend this elevated land, along the ravine of the Folly river in Londonderry, until it attains a summit leva!, near the Folly Lake, of 600 feet above the tic J tmouth. By keeping above the tide flow of the n. "s wm'^tving into Northumberland Straits and Bay Chaleurs, the line avoids the high lauds and lake estuaries of New Brunswick. Entering the valley of the Metapediac, it attains a summit level of 700 feet on the peninsula of Gaspe, whence it descends to the St. Lawrence, and proceeding along the terraced border of that river 190 miles, it reaches Point Levi opposite Quebec. The whole line runs at almost right angles to the rocky strata — the directions of their highest ridges, and the courses of the rivers. It cannot, therefore, be considered very favorable, so far as the construction of the railway itself is concerned ; but the fact is of much importance in regard to its utility, for it cuts the differ- ent rocky and mineral beds at right angles, and inter- sects the rivers — the natural feeders of commerce.* It is not the object of this work to enter widely into the subject. It may, however, be observed, that not* withstanding the enthusiasm displayed in the report, al- ready adverted to, the facts drawn from a variety of *Seo Boport on the proposed Trunk line of railway from an eastern port in Nova Scotia through New Brunswick to Quebec. Halifax, 1848. NOVA-SCOTIA. 323 ■ources and quoted in it, tend to show that the Halifax and Quebec Railway will yield a handsome return for the required outlay. The population that will be bene- fited and become contributors to this line is estimated at 400,000 souls. Taking the contributions made to railways by the population in parts of the United States for a guide, the sum of 10s. per head, per annum, upon an average, is set down for the receipts of the Halifax and Quebec line, which, it has been supposed, will yield £200,000 per annum from that source. To this sum ^ may be added the profits of transporting the mails, troops, munitions of war, and commissariat supplies, with the gradual extension of commerce, and the trafiic arising from immigration. Then, far beyond the profits that it would yield as a mere speculation, are the national bene- fits offered to the relief of the poor, — the improve ner b of the British North American Colonies — their r'tac>'- ment to each other, and their union with the parent country. In reference to our industrial resources, the Halifax and Quebec Railway, as thus described, wtald pass along the valley of the Shubenacadie river and lakes from the capital to Truro, a distance of 55 miles ; it would be convenient for the large settlements in the valley of the Stewiacke, eastern part of Hants county, and other villages southward, and form the main channel of transport to and from Pictou, and all the eastern set- tlements of the Province. Besides the live stock, meats and agricultural produce, now transported by animal labor, — coal, iron, gypsum, lime, slate, and other min- erals, might be advantageously despatched to Halifax. From the neighborhood of Truro the railway would run through the populous villages of Onslow and London- derry, and taking a gorge in the Cobequid mountains, it would enter the county of Cumberland. The rich and extensive vein of iron ore in the southern side of 2o 324 N0VA-8C0TIA. '^l Si'.> I' ft : . H |. ' ' '. those mountains has been described in a former part of this work. This ore would be intersected, and all the iron required for the railway, as well as for other pur- poses, might be supplied by manufactories erected at its site. Every facility would also be offered for the exportation of the iron from the foundries and manufac- tories. In Cumberland, the railway would approach Tatma- ^ gouche, Wallace, Waterford, and Bay Verte harbours, and before it reached the Bend of the Peticodiac it would intersect the fine agricultural districts and popu- lous villages of River Philip, Amherst, Fort Cumber, laud, Sackville, Dorchester, and Memramcook. The coal fields of Cumberland and Colchester would be cros- sed at points where they are known to be productive, and probably near the outcroppings of Spring Hill. At this place one of the coal strata is 12 feet in thickness, and the coal is of excellent quality. Here also there are inexhaustible supplies of limestone, gypsum, free-> stone, and grindstones, with salt springs. The popula- tion of Cumberland is about 12,000 — of Westmoreland, 15,000. In those two counties, and on both sides of the Province line, there are upwards of 10,000 acres of dyked marsh, yielding wheat and hay. A still greater area may be dyked and rendered productive. The whole face of the country between Amherst and the Bend of the Peticodiac is occupied by flourishing villa- ges, many of which were originally cleared by the Aca- dian Freuch. The amount of traffic to and from this quarter — the growing sea ports on the northern shores, and the number of passengers to and from the interior, would be important. From the Peticodiac the course of the railway would be to some point on the Resti- gouche, touching the Miramichi. In that distance it would cross the New Brunswick coal field to the dis- N0VA-9C0TIA. Wk lance of 120 miles, where the country is leTel, and re- markably favorable for the work. Excepting a few new settlements, this part of the line would reach through vast tracts of ungranted land fit for cultivation. The country between the Pettcodiac and Boistown contains coal, iron ore, gypsum, limestone, freestone, and marble, aLd, excepting coal, those minerals may be found as far weit as th6 valley of the Tobique. The whole district under consideration is one of greet resources and capa- bil ties. Not less than 5,000 square miles of wilder- nesb land remain unoccupied in this pari of New Bruns- wick, where the physical advantages of the country are equal to any of the richest portions of British America. Here colonization is the primary object. The estimated expense of constructing the railway over the above dis- tance is £7,000 per mile, and the total cost, including contingencies, is set down at £5,000)000.* On the completion of the great line, branch railways would ultimately communicate with it at different points. The roost important of these branches would extend to Pictou, St. John, and Fredericton. Along the whole course of the anticipated route, excellent timber is abun- dant, and may be obtained at a low rate even in the most populous villages ; at numerous sites it may be felled at the places where it is required. Along the entire line the country abounds in rivers and small streams, capable of affording unlimited water power, and they offer the cheapest means for manufacturing purposes. White and red pine, spruce, hemlock, larch, and yellow birch, are the present stflple articles of commerce sup- plied by the interior ; now the railway would render the remote forests accessible, and aficord a channel of de£K patch to commereial ports. ., liu^ H ♦ See Appeadix B. jiii 326 NOTA-SCOTIA. t'"'./' ;: In Amorica no branch of industry has received more benefit from railways than agriculture, to which they transfer a great amount of time and animal strength, affording aiso a cheap and expeditious conveyance for the surplus produce of the farmer. The proposed rail- way would pass through a country whose climate and soil are favorable for agriculture:, and whose timber and mineral resources are not surpassed in America. The physical and commercial resources that would be brought into play are beyond ca^'^ulation. The Iron of the Cobequid mountains alone would pay the interest on the outlay between Halifax and that place ; and it has been estimated that the coal along the line would return a fair interest on the whole cost of the work. Colonization offers the only channel of relief for the dis- tress in Great Britain ; and a railway through Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada, is absolutely necessary for the accomplishment of such national benevolence in this part of her Majesty's dominions. Pressed down by competition, large numbers of the labouring classes cannot obtain employment ; — others are only partially employed, and thousands are overworked to obtain even a scanty subsistence. Many of them, therefore, become unwilling paupers, and their children grow up ignorant, vicious, criminal, fatal to society, and subversive of its institutions. To relieve this unhappy condition of a large part of the population, during the past year companies have been organized, and the Government pressed for aid in the work of re- moving a part of the people from the old to the new world. One of these societies has been called the Ca- nadian Land and Railway Association, who have formed a joint stock company, comprising a capital of £2,000,- 000, in shares of £5 each, to commence the construc- tion of a railway from Halifax to Quebec — a work NOVA-fCOTU. 327 which might be begun and completed by the reiources of the laborers themselves if properly directed and en- couraged by the Government. By the fostering care and aid of the British Parlia- ment and the Colonial Legislatures, the noble enter- prise may *)c rendered safo to the Ooverninent, and to individuals who uiay invest their capital therein. Its magnitude and objects are beyond the grasp of private speculation, and should be secured against every kind of jobbing by legal enactments. Millions of her Majes- ty's subjects are interested in promoting the undertak- inp, and they look forward to the consummation of a scheme which would cement the British North Ameri- can Colonies together in one impregnable mass, alike for strength and durability, and for ever secure their attachment to the parent country.'** It has been stated that the proposal to construct a line of railway between Halifax and Quebec was imme- diately followed by movements for railways in different parts of New Brunswick. A spirit of inquiry also sprung up in the western counties of Nova Scotia. A railway between Halifax and Digby was at one time strongly advocated. This line of communication was to be continued to St. John — across the Bay of Fundy by steam, and thence to Quebec, in preference to the entire land route already noticed. If it followed the direction of the main post road, this railway would touch the best agricultural districts ef Hants, Kings, and An- napolis, whence to the capital there is an increasing transportation of live stock, meats, and the productions of the forests, farms, and dairy. It was long ago proposed to lay a part of the above )ine, 0: a railway from Halifax to Windsor, 45 miles. * Geaner> N0W Bruniwick. London : Sinunondfl & Ward, 1847. %' 328 NOVA-SOOTIA. St' • '-'5 .TF.f^ !)<« 5'* * ii 1^ ,' ? .1 An accounfc taken under the direction of thn Legislature^ of aH the live stock, goods, and passengers, ^lat passed between those two places in 1847, is very ei ouraging to the success of t) > enterprize. A grant was made by the House of Assembly in 1848 to make a survey of the line. The work has been prosecuted, and, after much delay, ^ favorable report has been obtained. The traffic in this direction is evidently ample for the security of the outlay. The numerous railway projects of Nova Scotia, and more especially New Brunswick, have evi-> deutly retarded the progress of the main trunk artery between Halifax and the St. Lawrence. But from an extended view of the general results of this medium of inter-colonial communication, it will appear evident that the great railway should precede all others in these co* lonies, and the suiccess of the shorter local lines will depend in a great degree upon the operations of the uniting chain. With its root fixed upon the Atlantic seaboard, and fed by steam navigation from Great Bri- tain, the trunk would extend through the Provinces, and in time reach even beyond the Oregon. Territory. Branches would naturally shoot out in all directions, according to the healthy state of the pareat stem, or the requirements of the bordering country. The novelty and consequent excitement produced by the foregoing schemes, and the speculation that always attaches itself to new discoveries and inventions, have been succeeded by sober calculations, not the less valu- able for the silence of their operations. The general depressed »tate of business in alnoiost every department — the unhappy state of affairs in these Provinces — the civil wars of Europe, and the disturbed state of Ire- land, have checked the progress of colouial improve- ment, so that no reasonable hope can be entertained that the desirable work of uniting these colonies, by the NOVA-SCOTIA. 329 most approved system of communication, can be enter- tained, unless capital is freely advanced, or secured by Great Britain to complete the work. ELECTRIC TIXEGRAPH. Among the mod<^ a discoveries in electricity, none are more conspicuous than the Electric Telegraph, This mode of conveying information with the rapidity of lightning, continues to be adopted throughout Eu- rope, and communicating wires will soon be fixed throughout the whole extent of the American union. They have already reached Quebec and Montreal, from New York ; and during the past season they have been extended from Portland to Calais, in the State of Maine, in continuation of the line from New Orleans ; thence they now proceed to St. John, and will, ere long, reach Halifax. The line from Quebc'c has nlrea- dy been commenced. As Halifax is the first ptc^ made by steamers from Great Britain, it is highly icn-^ rtant to the United States and Canada that they should com> municate with that place, whence the latest informat' n from Europe may be conveyed almost instantaneously to every part of the wide-spread continent. Several movements have been made by the Legisla- tures of Camda, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, to introduce this mode of communicatirrg intelligence. The agents of American companies have stated, that it they can obtain a " right of way" through these Pro- vinces, they will complete a line from Halifax to unite with Quebec, and a line stretched along the Atlantic shore to Ne\/ Orleans. Some caution is perhaps necessary in granting a right, at first sight apparently very unobjectionable. Were 330 MOVA-SCOtlA. 'M te ^'1 It 5 < '" the whole line entirely under the control of the Ame-^ ricans, the inhabitants of the United States would re-> ceive intelligence from Europe almost as soon as those of Halifax. This result should be well considered in reference to its effects upon the commerce of Hali- fax. It is especially necessary that the eastern termi- nus of the telegraph, where it unites with the British steamers, should be under the immediate control of the Government, for through such a channel informa- tion may be despatched that would affect the interests of the Province, and even the nation itself. With this restriction, the United Stales would reap a benefit that cannot be enjoyed by any of the Provinces, and there can be little doubt that their own authorities would secure a similar privilege on the other side of the na^ tional boundary. The estimated cost of the Electric Telegraph is £20 per mile, and there is no practical difficulty in extend- ing it through a country covered with wood. If the wires should be broken by the falling trees, they are readily repaired, and the track may be cleared of the timber that, by falling, would reach the line. So rapid is the means of communication, that news may be transmitted to the distance of 2,000 miles in a few minutes of time. Under proper management there can be no doubt that the speedy conveyance of words between Halifax and the different ports in the United States, would be of mutual advantage, and afford a high degree of satisfaction to the social circles of both countries. The transmission of news between England, Ca- nada, and the Lower Provinces, would stimulate the editors of newspapers, who would contribute freely to recompense the necessary outlay. NOVA-SCOTIA. 331 The trade existing at present between Nova Scotia and Canada requires only a very limited correspon- dence ; but should the railway between those places be completed, the electric telegraph would be a profi- table and important adjunct, and greatly contribute to our acquaintance with the western world. EMIGRATION. It is generally admitted, that emigration from Great Britain to the vast tracts of her unoccupied lands in North America, where the climate and soil are fr./ora- b!e for agriculture, forms an important object jf colo- nial policy. It is painful to reflect upon the condition of a large pari of the population in the mother country. Neither imperial bounty, nor the most generous private subscriptions, are adequate to relieve the destitution of the lower and laboring classes. Every profession, trade, and occupation, is ov*?rrun ; and to such an over-populated state has the country arriverl, that ne- cessity seems to be thrown upon the Government to open an outlet to a mass of people rendered idle and indigent for the want of labor. There appears to be no way to get rid of this redundant mass of human beings but to transport it to other portions of Her Ma- jesty's dominions, where it may create commerce and manufactories — enlarge the fisheries — open the mines, and redeem the soil of countries now over- shadowed by unfrequented wildernesses. The public mind should be directed to the vast fields of enter- prise already discovered. These must be improved — new ones sought for, and the remote parts of the em- pire explored. That abundant resources still remaiu 2p it 332 NOVA-SCOTIA. |i#l ^ ".' B vt •• . 'I &• unimproved, is certain, and to throw upoti them the inacrive population of the nation is an object * :;iu.y* 0^ ths. highest consideration. Notwithstanding the Government have directed tpck attention to the establishment of a sound system of emigration, and much has been written upon the subject, no fixed plan has been followed out, and the operations of schemes, apparently well devised, have, in practice, proved defective. Many of the imper- fections of theories advanced, and the unsuccessful efforts of emigration companies may be fairly ascribed to the lack of an acquaintance with the extreme de- tails of the emigrant's history — the new condition in which he is placed, and the me?».ns whereby his suffer- ings are to be relieved. These details, when they relate only to a single individual, are simple, and com- paratively insignificant ; but when they are applied to an emigrant population, they arc of the utmost impoi't- ance, and form the pivot upon which the whole ,Viia- chinery must move. From the fact that the great current of emigration has for many years past been directed to ihe United States, a foreign power is yearly receiving acce-ssions of strength by the introduction of British subjects, while the provinces, from hawing but little addition made to their populalioti, me falling far behind the neighbouring Republic in general improvement. It is true that this tide of emigration spreads itself over a vast expanse of surface, and its waves recoil upon the British Provinces ; yet the greater number of emigrants take up their abode within the limits of the American union. It has been estimated that within the last twenty years i,337,000 souls have eaiigrated to North NOYA-SCOTIA, ATf>€'*ica ; of that nrtmber, not to exceed 20,000 hava sotlicd in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.* The Republican Sta'f's have the adiaruage ot rail- ways and other public works, many of which are sup plied by British capital. These afford the immigrant speedy and cheap passage, and offer him abundant employment. To obtain labour, and consequently a subsistence, at the onset, is of the first consequence to the poor settler, and it is only by the introduction of railways and other public works that such labour can be supplied in Nova Scotia, or the forests opened to the operations of husbandry. Thousands of fiamilies who have landed in the o wer Provinces, and who were compelled to beg their way into the interior, have at last, by their industry, paid for tracts of land that now reward their labor by inde- pendence and comfort ; yet, to pour into the country a gioat number of such families before certain employ- ment is provided, would be but to increase their mi- sery and burden the established population. In no part of her Majesty's dominions are physical resources more abuudant and valuable than in Nova Scotia. The Provmce enjoys a salubrious climate, extraordinary powers of vegetation, and seasons that ripen the necessaries and many of the luxuries of life. The chief part of the soil is easy of tillage, and pror ductive, while the country is watered by innumerable streams that refresh the earth, and xn their descent to- wards the sea afford abiuidant power to propel manu- factuiing machinery. The forests still afford valuable timber — the fisheries are a soiurce of wealth, and the \^ * Between the 1st of April nnd Ist of Dccoralnik MS. 148,447 immigrants arrived at Now Yoxk alone, from Great BriMn and tbfi European cdntinont. W'" .t M 334 iSO«/A-SC0tlA. mifi^s inoxhaiif'tible ; yet, fiom lack of the modem means of commimicarionj the indasirial resonrees of tiiG interior are unavailable — tho farmer cannot obtain a ready market — the deep wilderness is un approached, and, under the operations of a limited population, tho condition of the country mi proves but slowly. It is vaiix to deny tliiat in Nova Scotia and New Brimswick there is a decided spirit of opposition on tho part of the native born inhabitants to the further introduction of the poor and laboring clasfjCs of Irish into tho country. The same feeling has begun to pervade the United States. In tho huter country this principle has laid the foundation of powerful organ- ised, and even armed bodies. It has created a secret cause of offence, wljich, unless subdued by the virtues of tho people, wiii lead to tho most unhappy coose- quenoes. The landing of English, Lowland Scotch, or Ger- man emigrants, Would bo cheered by the inhabitants of Nova Scotia ; but before emigration of the laboring classes from any country to Nova Scotia can be bene- ficial, some great fund of employment must be pro vidcd, whereby the inflovving population may obtain a subsistence, a knowledge of the country, a!id prepare themselves for the improvement of the unoccupied lands. For these ron the classes of emigrani<; that should be introduced into each Province, for, as little change as possible should be made in the pursuits of persons brought from the old to the new world. Emigration doubtless exercises an important influ- ence over the morals of its subjects. It is an incon- trovertible fact, that many who had been led into, and BulTercd for crimes committed in the mother country, have, after their removal to the wilds of America, "I: 336 NOVA-SCOTIA. K ■^ f\ where the temptations to vice arc less numerous, and where greater rewards are offered to industry, become moral and useful members of society. But if emigra- tion is now a work of benevolence as well as one of necessity, it is most desirable that the humane inten- tions of the Government should be carried out with the least possible national expense. I have found it convenient to divide emigrants into three classes. The first of these classes consists of jjersons who are independent, — their circumstances scarcely require the interference of legislation, — they will always be governed by their own choice, and the Iiighest prospects of advantage ; yet, it is desirable that such should establish themselves in the villages and settlements of their coun.rymen, wherotbey exer- cise a salutary influence in society. The second class embraces individuals and families who, besides paying the amount of their passage mo- ney, possess from £10 to £100 eacli, and persons of steady habits with trades. It is desirable that this class sliould establish themselves upon British soil rather than embark for the United States, To gain this object both the Home and the Provincial Govern- ments should endeavour to remove the obstacles that impede their progress from their native countries to the interior villages, wilderness lands, or fisheries of the colonies. Every object of industry should be ex- amined and offered to their enterprise, and every infor- mation in regard to tlietr adopted homes should be dif- fused among them. The lack of such information has lost to Nova Scotia and New Brimswick many useful and respectable inhabitants. The mode of obtaining wild lands should be rendered as simple and cheap as poss'ble, and qualified agents should be appointed to N0VA-8C0T1A. 3ar meet the emigrnnts upon their arrival, being first ap- prized of the time and port of their debarkation. Such emigrants look forward with pain to the day when the last of their money shall have been expended $ but when they know that there are public works upon which they can obtain a subsistence until they become, in some de- gree, Americanized, they are contented. Such works )n the United States are points of attraction to thou- sands who annually land in that country. The third class comprises those who have only suffi- cient funds to pay their passa/^'es across the Atlantic, and paupers. Of these, none are wanted in the coun- try. It has been maintained by some that emigration of the humbler grades should be conducted at the ex- pense of the Government ; that all who wish to remove to the colonies should be transported gratuitously, and supplied with provisions for a certain period, or that a fixed bounty should be paid for every head brought into the country. To supply the emigrant with a free passage, (unless be is a pauper,) with implements of husbandry and pro- visions, until his first crop is secured, or to give him lands at a nominal price, would be impolitic. Such a system would be open to many abuses. Gifts like these to the indigent render them inactive and improvident. To this rule there may be exceptions, but they are not sufficiently numerous to recommend aid being given from the public funds. On the payment of a fixed bounty for the settlement of each emigrant, the munificence of the Government would terminate, and his destiny would bo placed in the hands of bodies of men who, however just and honorable, would naturally adhere to their own inter- ests to prevent loss. Experience has proved the efforts of such companies unsatisfactory. 338 NOVA'SCOTIA. W m It is not the absolute poverty of the emigraut that unfits him for an inhabitant of these Provinces ; it is too often the lack of sobriety, induutry, and a resolute spirit of enterprise, which should never be relaxed by tlu gifts of his« benefactors, but cherished by that kind of encou- ragement that creates a noble ambition and laudable pride. Every facility naay be afforded for his embarka- tion, and no person should be permitted to leave the ports of Great Britain who is not iu health — able to en- dure the voyage, and to win a livelihood afterwards. The strictest regulations should bo enforced on board the ships in reference to the number of passengers, cleanliness and ventilation. Sufficient supplies of whole- some food and water should be afforded, and the real necessities of the passengers carefully attended to. No person should be permitted to leave the ship during the first 48 hours after her arrival at the port of destination. Hospitals should be in readiness for the sick — the emi- grant agent should be prepared for the arrival, and his general knowledge of the country should enable him to direct the strangers to the best bituations according to their several circumstances and pursuitei, and all this without any delay. Individuals who are in possession of small sums of money may be directed to the new set- tlements, or to tracts of lan(*, for which grants may be obtained. Single men and married oouples may go to the older districts, and such as have no funds may be conveyed to the public v^oiks, where they are to learn their first lessons in the industry and customs of the country. The public works required to sustain emi- gration have been already advened to — namely, rail- ways, canals, mining, and roads through the wilderness. By introducing and carrying on such public works, both the Government and emigrants would reap equal ad\ an- tages. NOVA-SCOTIA. 33.' xr U',i> iv ^"•t iius ,..„r' .J'i I ■ '*, (,^r"fi! - .';V?K J^ri^ts j'lr, APPENDIX A. BARONETAGE OF NOVA SCOTIA. , U^i^' ■' As the claims of a body of individuals who have been styled the Baronets of Nova Scotia, to certain lands in this and the neighbouring Provinces, have of late been revived, and much misapprehension seems to prevail upon the subject, it has been deemed proper in this place to give a brief abstract of their case, as it appears by a summary of events drawn up by themselves, and by public documents of high authority. The Provinces of Nova Scotia, or New Scotland, in British North America, originally comprehended Nova Scotia jproj^er. New Brunswick, Gaspe, Anticosli, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton, with a tract of coun- try which ic the settlement of the boundary between the State of Maine and New Brunswick has been given to the Americau::. In 1621 this country was annexed to the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland, by James I. Th'% hereditary office of Viceroy, or Lieutenant-General, '^as conferred upon Sir William Alexander, (afterwards Earl of Sterling,) his heirs and assigns, with power to settle the country, erect towns, appoint officers, coin money, administer justice, &c. i;il i APPENDIX. ¥1 »<^ ' I . it , 1) On the 28th of May, 1G25, King Charles I. institutetii the Scottish Baronetage, by conferring the title of Ba- ronet upon the Honorable Sir Robert Gordon. The charter of the premier Baronet (which, by subsequent acts of the Crown, is made the regulating charter for the whole order,) appears in "Douglas's Baronage of Scot- land." It contains clauses granting to Sir Robert, his heirs and assigns, 16,000 acres of land in Nova Scotia, to be held as a free barony, and royalty of the Crown of Scotland, with pleniary powers to settle the same. It also conveys great seignorial and commercial privileges, and gives the grantee and his successors the right either personally, or by his deputy, of a voice and vote in all the legislative assemblies, parliaments, councils, and con- ventions of the Province. On the 25th of July, 1625. King Charles I. issued a royal commission, empowering the Privy Council of Scotland to confer " the degree, state, order, dignity, name, honor, title and style, of Baronet, with such liko privileges, prerogatives, immunities, liberties, and othef rights whatsoever, as had been conferred upon the Pre- mier Baronet," until the number of 150 should be com* plete. On the 31st July, 1630, the charters of James and Charles I., erecting the order of Baronets of Scotland and Nova Scotia, and all acts and proclamations, and proceedings of the Privy Council, were approved, rati- fied, allowed and confirmed, by the Scottish Estates in Parliament assembled, on the ground that they consid-* ered the plantation of New Scotland " to be a purpose highly concerning his Majesty's honor, and the good and credit of his ancient kingdom." The King, in per- son, made a second ratification of the charter on the 28th June, 1633, before the Estates of Scotland in Par-* liament assembled. From the above period until tho APPENDIX. a death of King Charles, in 1649, the creation of the Baronets went on ; and after the restoration, and down to the union in 1707, the work proceeded. In 1691, King William and Queen Mary granted a charter to the colony of Massachusetts Bay, in which Acadia, or Nova Scotia, is mentioned, and reservation is made of the lands and hereditaments of any person or persons, bodies politic, or corporate, to whom in virtue of any previous grant they might belong. In 1698 the charter of the Premier Baronet was officially recognized and confirmed by King William III. Upon the 27th June, of the same year, a charter of Novadomus passed upon the royal warrant, and infeftment was taken of Nova Scotia, as authorized by the charter, at the Castle Hill of Edinburgh, and duly recorded in the register of Sasines. By the Massachusetts charter, (passed in 1691), the territories and colonies, commonly called and known by the name of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, the co- lony of New Plymouth, the province of Maine, and the territory called Acadia, or Nova Scotia, (fcc, were united and incorporated, and a certain tract of land within the same assigned to some Protestants from Ire- land and the Palatinate. This circumstance led the inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay, who, until this time, had neglected the said tract of land to claim not only a right to the Government, but also to the territory, — whereupon a case was submitted in August, 1731, for the opinion of the Crown Officers, the Attorney and Solicitor Generals, York and Talbot, putting these ques- tions : — 1st. Whether the pursuers, if they ever had any right to the tract of land claimed, had not, by their neg- lect, and even refusal to defend, take care of, and im- prove the same, forfeited their said right to the Govern- ment, and what right they had under the charter, and • t" i!l APPBNUlX. \i- uaw have, to the lands ? and 2d. Whether by the said tract being conquered by the French, and afterwards reconquered by General Nicholson in the late Queen's time, and yielded up by France to Great Britain by the treaty of Utrecht, that part of the charter relating thereto became vacated ? and whether the government of that tract, and the lands thereof, are not absolutely re-vested in the crown ; and whether the crown has not sufficient power to appoint governments and assign lands to such families as shall desire to settle there ? To these questions those two eminent men of the English bar replied, that upon the considering the case, and the evidences laid before them, they were of the opinion that the pursuers had not been guilty of any laches of a kind to create a forfeiture of the rights conveyed by their charter ; that the country not having been yielded by the Crown of England to France by any treaty, the conquest thereof by the French created — according to the laws of nations — only a suspension of the property of the former owners, and not the extinguishment :. and that upon a re-conquest of the country by General Nicholson, all the ancient rights, both of the Province and of private persons, subjects of the Crown of Great Britain, did revive, and were restored jure postliminn ; that the Crown had not the power to appoint a particu- lar Governor of this part of the Province, or to assign lands to persons desirous to settle there ; and that upon the whole matter, they considered the pursuers ought not to be disturbed in their possession, or interrupted in carrying on their settlement of the lands granted to them, within the district in t^uestion.* In 1 763 the treaty of Paris was concluded, when Nova Scotia, in its original limits, was restored to the British '?? * Nova Scotia Question, don, 1848. W. Brcttell, 36 New Bond street, Lou- !.!•' APPENDIX. Crown, and when, according to the law of nations, and the usages of the British Government in all times past, the rights of the Baronets to their baronies, and regali- ties of 16,000 acref oach, revived. Such are the leading features of the claims set forth by the Baronets of Nova Scotia. The number who claim 10,000 acres of land each, with the titles, is 111, and among them are some of the chief nobility of England and Scotland. They have held meetings from time to time since the order was created. Petitions have also been laid before Parliament to obtain lands, or the re- newal of their charter, and they are still urging their case to the notice of the Government. ,. , f j ; ^ It is almost unnecessary to review the arguments brought against these claims ; certain it is that the Baronets never made any successful effort to settle the lands obtained under their charter even at periods when the Government offered bounties to immigrants into Nova Scotia. The country was conquered and re- conquered, and defended, at the cost of the nation, and the British Provincials of Massachusetts. More than two centuries have passed away since the charter was given to the Premier Baronets. In that long period neither the descendants of the Errl of Stirling, nor any of those who have claimed the title, have taken up their lands and carried out the conditions of the charter. The final conquest of the country was followed by the general introduction of British subjects. The lands of the Province have been fully granted by the Crown to such subjects, who have improvid the country, and now occupy the most valuable pa? t of its surface. All this has been going on openly, and under the cogni- zance of the claimants, until it has become impossible for them ever to obtain possession of any but wilder- ness territory, and by grants proceeding from the 2r APPENDIX. V • M w I' ' I Crown. Whatever might have boon thoir original right of territory, that right has evidently been im- paired by their inability to comply with the terms and conditions thereof. Excepting Annapolis Royal, the whole of Nova Scotia was conveyed by Sir William Alexander to LaTour, who was equally im successful in the colonization of Acadia, and the whole territory reverted to the Baronets. The old charter of Massachusetts had been forfeited, when King William and dueen Mary renewed that charter, and in it included the Provinces of Maine and Nova Scotia. From this period the country was de- fended by the inhabitants of New England, whose memorable conquest of Louisburg made them masters of the whole colony until the peace of Utrecht in 1713, Should the Government now assign to the Baronets a wilderness tract 3,000 miles from Scotland, — occupied by warlike savages, — and the subject of contention between two rival powers, they will then have an opportunity of reviewing the bounties of their original charter, which, from a variety of circumstances, and the inability of the grantees to meet its obligations, has been rendered a nullity in regard to all the lands actually granted by the Crown in these Provinces to other persons. This view of the question is evidently entertained by the Baronets themselves, who do not lay claim to the alienated and improved portions of the country, or the exercise of greater legislative privi- leges than those conferred upon other British subjects. They now propose " that the senior Baronets should relinquish their rights to the grants originally made, which lie, some of them i|^Nova Scotia jjroper— some in Gape Breton, and others in New Brunswick ; and that a consolidated grant of two and a half million wSM^ ^ ' a APPENDIX. acres should be given to the whole body (senior and junior) out f the vacant lands in the latter Province, which still exceed 12>27l,03l acres."* They desire that those lands shall be given them upon the line of the proposed railway between Halifax and duebec. They have placed in ihe hands of the Government a formal protest against the " sale, grant, or concession of any of the vacant territory withhi the Province of New Scotland as originally bounded, pending the set- tlement of the claim of right now urged by the Baro- nets." The inhabitants of Nova Scotia need have no apprehensions in reference to their own titles, for these the Baronets have never attempted to disturb ; and should the commutation they now seek from the Government be fully granted, it would be advanta- geous to these Provinces by facilitating the noble work of the railway, and colonizing a tract of wilder- ness country to which the labor of the native popula- tion would scarcely extend in centuries to come. To enlist the energies, capital and influence of a body so highly intelligent and respectable, in the desirable work of colonizing the uninhabited regions of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, is of great importance to the best interests of the country, and for which alone the real value of the lands applied for, by them, is but a reasonable and very moderate eq[uivalent. * Nova Scotia Question, p. 12.. '■ J ,' " 'f I <' t ■ *,1 »...,.» rf*^' i.< ( ; > I ' * ':.>'f*f, ■ V: V)'i u ^■■..^» i i APPENDIX B. i ■ .' , ' •■ I ;'i' ' n, The plan proposed for raising the capital necessary for the completion of the Halifax and duebec Railway is based upon the fact that the Provinces and the Em- pire have such an interest in its formation that it should be undertaken by them conjointly for the pub- lic weal. The Provinces, supported by the credit of the Mother country, could raise capital at a rate of in- terest which could not be done by any company of shareholders ; and if to this advantage be added the disposal for the exclusive benefit of the railway, of a portion of the wild lands along the line, and in the immediate country which it would be the means of opening to settlement and cultivation, then it is highly probable that it would be constructed for three millions sterling. It has been estimated that there are in the counties through which the line will pass, fourteen millions of acres of land yet ungranted, and therefore remaining at the disposal of the Provincial Govern- ments. The ordinary price of an acre of wild, or uncleared land, is about 3s. 6d. to 3s. per acre j but where pub- W it- '■*;.>■■ m Ml- 'i ' S : , i', 'n'< ' > 10 APPBNDIX. lie roads are made through them, the value imme^. diately increases, and it will not be considered an extravagant estimate to suppose that the land along it, or in the immediate vicinity of the railway, will be worth £> 1 per acre. For the construction of the great St. Lawrence canal, by which Canada has now the prospect of reap- ing such immense advantages from the trade of the Avcstern country, the Imperial Government guaranteed the interest on a loan of two millions sterling, and up- wards, at 4 per cent. This loan was easily raised, and a large premium per cent, was received in addition for it. There can be little doubt that another loan of three millions sterling, at the same rate of 4 per cent, interest, could be raisad upon the credit of the provin^ cial rev*^nue«5 if guaranteed by the Mother country. With this amount of capital, and two millions of acres to be reserved, and sold from time to time, it is con- ceived the railway may be made. Upon the strength of these two millions of acres, and the loan as a basis, a large amount of notes might be issued in the payment of wages and salaries of the laborers and other persons employed on the works of the railway. They should be made receivable for taxes and customs duties. The amount authorized to be issued might be limited to the extent of the acres, and as these were sold an equai amount of notes should be cancelled. The issue of a number of notes which would pass current over these provinces, would be conferring a great benefit upon the community at large. The cur- rency is not the s :ne throughout, and persons who travel from one province to another are now put to inconvenience^^ and have often to pay a discount upon APPBNDtl* U exchanging the notes of one colonial bank for those of another. Advantage might be taken of the measure to assimilate the currency of the colonies to each other, and make it "sterling," the same as in England. By a little arrangement also, these notes might be made payable at the chief ports '' emigration in the United Kingdom, and in that ca. c a very great convenience would be afforded to a large class of persons on both sides of the Atlantic. To remit small sums now requires the intervention of bunkers, or agents. This has the effect upon per- sons resident in the settlements, (and no doubt often also in the towns,) of preventing their sending the assistance which they otherwise would do to friends at home. Many a small note would be put up and sent in a letter, which now is never thought of for want of the convenience. In remitting sums from Halifax to England, the banks do not like to give bills at less than sixty days' sight. These notes would, therefore, become a great public benefit, and there would be no fear of their being kept in circulation to any amount. Upon the loan of three millions, the interest at 4 ^ cent, would amount to £ 120,000 ^ annum. Of this sum it may be fairly assumed, that, for the convey- ance of the mails between Halifax and Quebec, the Post Office department would be willing to pay, annu- ally, an equal amount to what is now paid for the same service. This has not been officially obtained, but there are good grounds for supposing that it is nearly £20,000. In case, then, that beyond this the railway only paid its own working expenses, the sum of £100,000 would have to be made good out of the revenues of the Provinces. The proportion of this, ^\ 12 At>PENDIX. or whatever sum might be deficient to pay the interest on the loan, would have to be arranged, and it may, for the sake of illustration, be supposed to be as fol- lows ; — Nova Scotia, £20,000 — proportion. New Brunswick, 20,000 " Canada, 30,000 The Imperial Govt., 30,000 « £100,000 2 2 3 3 10 1^^' v.: For the proportion guaranteed by the Provinces they would receive the benefits conferred by the railway in developing their resources — increasing the value of all property — ^promoting the sale and settlement of their wild lands — increased population, ard increased reve- nue. For the proportion guaranteed by the Imperial Government, all government officers, civil or military, troops, munitions of war, supplies, &c., for the public service, and emigrants, should be transported over the line at the cost price. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, it is understood, are most willing to guarantee the interest to the ex- tent of their means, and in a fair proportion. Canada having done so much already for the communications above Montreal, it is fully expected will not be back- ward in perfecting those below duebec. In the ex- treme case supposed above, viz., of the railway yield- ing no returns beyond the working expenses, it is not conceived that either one of the provinces, or the empire, would not receive an equivalent in some other form for its direct contribution to make good the inter- est. " Deducting £20,000 for the conveyance of the mails, then the sum to be responsible for would be APPBNOlt. 13 le interest I it may, be as fol- 2 2 3 3 10 nces they ail way ia lue of all t of their sed reve- Imperial military, le public over the ierstood, ' the ex- Canada tiications be back- the ex- ly yield- it is not , or the ne other he inter- e of the ould be £60,000, which, divided proportionably, as before, would give, for — Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada, Great Britain, Total, £12,000— proportion, 2 12,000 " 2 18,000 '' 3 18,000 " 3 £60,000 10 Therefore, for the responsibility (perhaps for assunir ing it only) of £100,000, or, as the case may prove, £60,000, the duebec and Halifax Railway may be made." — Railway Report, 1848. The following suggestions were made by the Iton. H. H. Cogswell, previous to the survey of the Halifax and due bee Railway : — " Upon the proposed line there are upwards of five millions of acres of Crown Land fit for cultivation. This immense tract is now of very small value, but were the railway completed, it would produce as many pounds, including the numerous stations that Would be required on the line, and as depots for articles to be forwarded by the rail cars, and which would command a price of at least one hundred pounds per acre. " The railway line would traverse immense coal fields, now of no value ; but it is believed that were the line completed, the transport of coals to duebec and Halifax would (if conducted by the Government, and without a reservation of the Royalty,) defray the annual expense. It has been asserted that an inex- haustible supply of coals can be placed upon the rail cars, at a sum not exceeding 6s. per chaldron, and the difiefence between that sum and the selling price at 2s III u AjPPENDIX. ^ ^fl" y 1 1 ■• ^ I-- -i 11 i Halifi^ and Q^uebec would accrue to the railroad as a profit. The locomotives would also receive their supr plies, in passing to and fro, at that small price. " It may be said that this arrangement would inter- fere with the rights of the Mining Company, but surely the Government might effect a compromise, as the company cannot now, nor never can work these mines unless the railroad is completed. There can be little doubt, therefore, that for an object of such immense importance, they would relinquish their claim to the coal fields referred to ; besides, their shipping ports of Pictou and Sydney would not be interfered with. Thus abundant funds might be furnished for the com- pletion of the work, by the Government, who would then have the entire management of its concerns with- out any inteiference, together with its collateral and powerful auxiliary, the Electric Telegraph, which, in time of war, it would be of immense importance to possess. All the troops in these colonies might be concentrated at one spot in the course of two or three days after notice, and as fresh and prepared for action as at the hour they might leave their respective bar- racks. " It seems, therefore, only necessary that the Imperial Parliament should sanction advances for the railroad until completed, and then the lands, and the mines and minerals, would most probably repay the whole advance. But as these colonies will be much bene- fitted by the railroad, it is not too much to expect, and little doubt can be entertained that they will cheer- fully grant, one4enth part of their nett revenue for ten years towards so important an object. The sum thus granted by the Colonial Legislatures would amount, perhaps, to half a uillion ; and probably in the ten APPENDIX. 15 oa4 as a leir sup- Id inter- it surely as the e mines 36 little nmense ; to the ig ports d with, iie com- » would IS with- ral and hich, in ance to ight be )r three action ve bar- tnperial ailroad mines whole bene- ct, and cheer- for ten n thus nount, le ten succeeding years they would be repaid the whole sum, by an increased revenue under the same tariff. " The machinery for carrying this mighty enterprise into operation should be under the control and ma- nagement of the Imperial Government and its officers in the colonies. Let it bo supposed that the number of persons to be employed upon the whole line shall be 10,000 ;— let one thousand be selected from th© Royal Engineers, Artillery, and troops of the line^ whose period of service has nearly expired, and wha would volunteer to engage in this service for a certain period, or until the completion of the service. All these would be competent to discharge the duties of non-commissioned officers, and to superintend the labor of the nine thousand, under the direction of experien- ced engineers and military officers. Let nine thou- sand be composed of emigrants, able-bodied, and well calculated to use the axe and the spade. All such persons should, of course, be entitled, for this particu- lar service, to receive military pay, rations, and cloth- ing, and be subject to military orders and control, and be entitled to their discharge upon the completion of the work ; and grants of land, from five to fifty acres, upon the line of the railroad, upon which, for the pur- pose of extensive accommodation, each should have but a small front. These small allotments might be made the rewards of good conduct to such persons as may render faithful, diligent, and conspicuous services during the performance of the work." Thus would the whole cost of this gigantic under- taking be defrayed from the resources it would open and b'-ing into immediate operation.. lit 'I ■ \ I ,' 'i il u £a n Exports from Nova Scotid proper, with their quantUia and valw ; also the number of Vessels, Tons, and Men, employed therein for the year 1848. Apples, bbls. 2,422 £ 703 Ale and Porter, casks 501 1,029 Bacon and Hams , casks 168 341 Beef and Pork, bbls. 7,438. 14,752 Barrels (empty) No. 2,830 368 Bread and Biscuit, bags 223 199 Butter, firkins 6,973 9,609 Candles, boxes 363 400 Carriages, No. 10 115 Cheese, boxes 74a 731 Chocolate, boxes 1,315 715 Coal, chaldrons 36,627 29,628 Cider, bbls. 486 207 Confectionary, cases 269 636 Cordage, coils 491 770 Com and Grain, bushclB 11,600 980 Eggs, dozen 22,000 387 Fish, (dry) qtls. 271,475 119,180 Fish (pickled) bbls 201,491 137,024 Fish (smoked) boxes 34,167 3,362 Furniture, cases 362 Grindstones, 1. tons ;.No. 10,330 30,602 ; 6,993 Gypsum, tons 46,960 6,383 Hats, cases 60 200 Hides, (raw). No. 640 200 Hay, tons 118 326 Leather, sides 1,616 829 Neat Cattle, head 4,198 6,482 Horses, No. 16 346 Malt, bags 320 159 Meat, (fresh beef) qrs. 647 971 Oil (fish) tuns 920 24,488 Oil Clothes, suits 476 238 Potatoes, bushels 67,616 7,318 Poultry, casks 8G 129 Skins and Furs, pckgs. 110 2,682 Skins (Seal) No. 3,677 614 Soap, boxes 216 226 Stone, (Free) tons 2,220 1,601 Turnips, bushels 4,163 238 Cabbages, crates 411 260 Wearing Apparel pckgs 42 280, Battens, Beals, and Deal Ends > pes. 189,250 18,925 Timber, tons 1,733 2,005 Other Wood Goods, viz : •\ Shingles, Staves, Lum- \ 56,642 ber, &c. J Wool, bales 84 1,050 MiscellaneoTis articles ) not amounting to > 1,007 £100 each, s ! l\ Total.— Value, £460,769 ; vessels, 4232 ; tons, 434,382 ; men, 29,186. The total amount of Exports from Cape Breton in 1848, was £63,- 002 6a. 2d sterling. The shipping— 392 vessels, 39,608 ton9, 2,326. vxsn. INDEX. Faoe. Acadia, - • - l Acadians, - - 4 Acadialite, - - 296 Agriculture, - " 152,209 Agricultural Socit.es, 208 Agricultural Laboratory, 207 Albion Mines, - - 274 Alder, ... 86 Alewives, - - 120 Alluviums, - - 58, 172 American Manufaetures, 212 Amethyst, - - 229 Annapolis River, - 31, 130 Arichat, - - 208,361 Ash of Plants, ^ 176 Ash, - - -» 92 Avon River, - - 30 Barrington harbour, 53, 133 Baronets of Nova Scotia, 2 Barytes, - - 262 Basswood, - - 79 Basse, - - 123 Banks of Nevrfoundland, 145 Bays, - . - 27 BayofFundy, - 121 Beech, - - r 83 Beaver, - - 223 Bear hunting, - - 223 Birds, - - 251 Birch, - - - 86 Black Fish, - , 113 Bore or tidal wave, - 28 Bourlarderie, - t 305 Boulders, - - 165 Bounties, - - 110 British America, - - 22 " " value of, 339 British Fisheries, < 151 Bridgeport Coal Mines, Bras d'Or, Building Stones, Building Materials, Bultows, Canard River, Canseau, Cape Breton, coal of, Cape Breton, Cape North, Capelin, Cattle, - - Carding Machines, Carriboo, Cedar, Chiganois River, Chignecto Bay, - Chedabucto Bay, Clay, - Climate, Climate of Cape-Breton, Clearing of Lands, Clyde River, Coal, Coal Fields, Coal, exports of, Coal Mines of Pictou, Coal of Cumberland, Coal of Cape Breton, Coal Formation, Coal Measures, • Cobequid Bay, Cobequid Mountains, Cod, Commerce, - Copper Ore, Comwallis River, Cows, Paor* 283 - 304 297 . 299 111 33 41 - 280 300 - 309 124 - 2a3 211 '. 223 93 33 - 34 40 . 266 152 300 196 - 53 267 170,267 256 274,277 278 280 235 - 239 28 - Z^^ in - ^'W 33 - 203 o, ft INDEX. ^V '^' ■Wl- *,, ^: A- I • r't l^^vi Country Harbour, Cow Harbour, Crops, expenses and profits of, 205 Cumberland Coal Mines, 5i78 Cumberland B - 27 Debort River, - 3J} Deep Sea Fisheriw* - 145 Distilleries, - - 210 Digby, . - - l.'JO Digby Herrings, - 130 Dog Fish, - - 117 Drift and Boulder Formation, 245 Early Settlers, Early French Settlements, Economy River, Electric Telegrapli, Elm, Emigrants, - - - Emigration, Paob.I 44 'Freestones, 40 Fruits, Furs, Gaburus, (Jame, Garden Seeds, Garden Vegetables, Geology, " value of Geological Divisions, Grampus, Grindstones, - Gut of Canseau, -, Gulph Stream, Guysboro', Gypsum, Habitant River, Haddock, 7 4 33 329 82 5,8 Emig-ralion froni Nova Scotia, 12 Emigrants, classes of, 3^iu Encroachments on Fisheries, 105 Farm Stock, - - 802 Farming Utensils, - 904 Fir, - * - 1)5 First crops, - - 194 Five Mile River, - - 3fi Fisheries of Nova Scotia, 103 " Cape Breton, 143 Fisheries, men and veesels 139 313, 331 Halifax Harbour, PaOIv ■ seoi 90] - 349 307 993 90& • 900 999 - 164 - lie 990 oB IM ^ 40 188, 216, 261 as . 19B 44 L Halifax and Quebec Railway, 313 employed in. Fisheries, treatise respecting, 105 Fi«iheries of Newfoandland, 147 Illicit Trade, Fishery, Mackarel, 1^, 144 Indians, lio-iibut. Harbours, Harbours closed by ice, Hebert River, Hemlock, - • Herring, Hops, Horticulture, Hornbeam, - - Horton River, HuntinjT and Sporting, Isle of Sable, Fishing, systems of, " stations, • Pish, exports of - " Capo Breton, Fishes, kinds of •• Fkx, - , . Fog Bells, Forests, Forest Fires, - Forest Lands, Fdrt Beau Sejour, *• Lawrence, - " Moncton, Fossils of the Coal Formation, 243 Fossil Trees, . - 342 Fox Islands, - - 139 125 Indian Legend, 129 Indian Corn, 148 Industrial Resource!^ 143 Industry, 143 Inhabitants River, . 198 28 Iron Ore, 73, 194 96 . 194 35 35 35 Iron Company of Annapolis, of Londonderry, « ofPictou, «' ofNictau, " Magnetic^ Iron Foundaries, ■». Jebogue, - * Jordan River, * Kennetcook, Labor, - -> 122 - 27 39 - 34 m - 119 • 900 88 - 33 320 14^ - 107 1, 41, 48 49 - 905 - 914 381 257 287 393 358 338 99S 911 53 ^ 30 13 INDCX. 8 Paor. I^kcs, - - ' UI7 l^ndu grautedaud ungrantod, 65 Ijarcli, - - - JIl5 liCadOro, - - !»W Lellavc, - - 47 Liinc, - - 185 Litneatono, <• •> fHU Lingan, - - 307 Liverpool River and Lakes, M) Londonderry Mining Comp'y. SJi)5 Louisbnrg, - - 302 Lunenburg harbour, - 47 Lumbering, - - 21(5 Lumberers, - 215 Maccan River, • -34 Mackarcl, - - 12?} Mahone Bay, - - id, Maize, or Indian Corn, 197 j Mammalia, - 247, 240 Maniifiictories, - 210 Manganese, - - 263 Maple Sugar, - 213 Maple, - - IK) Mangel Wurtzel, - 200 Marshes, - • 58 Marl, - . 186 Marsh Mud, - - 187j Markets, - - 208j Merigomish, - - 38 Menhaden, - - 11!) Mines and Minerals, - 252 Mines, grant of, - 283 Mining, - - 217 Mining Association, 278, 284 Mining Company, - 295 Miners, - - 273 Minerals of the Trap Rocks, 296 Minerals of the Coal For- mation, - - 260 Minas Basin, - - 27 Moose, - - 222 Muscle Mud, - - 27 Native Trees of Nova Scotia, 77 New Brunswick Railway Co. 315 New Lands, - - 132 Nepan River, - 31 Newport, - - 268 Nova Scotia, historical no- tice of, - 1 " present state of, 14 Fade. Nova Scotia, proposed im- provement uf, 18 *' population of, 22 " capital of, 22 ** extent and boun- daries of, 22 " coiumcrco of, 22 ^ scenojry of, 231 Oak, - - 85 Parrsboro', - - 295 Partridge Island, - 33 Pail manufactory, - 211 Petite Passage, - 139 Petite Riviere, - - 49 Pine, - . 9<> Pictou Coal Mines, 277 Pictou harbour, - 37 Plants, time of flowering, 161 Plants, leguminous, - 198 Population, - 22, 220 Port Mouton, - - 51 Port Hood, - - 309 Port Royal, - - 3 Potato, - - 199,200 Pomket, - - 38 Pollock, - - 122 Porpoise, - - 130 Poplar, - - 89 Porphyry, - - 252 Pubnico, - - 53 Sackville River, - 44 Salt, - - .265 Salt Springs, - 264 Sambro harbour, - 44 Salmon, - - 119 Seals, - - - 115 Seeds, distribution of, 101 Sedimentary deposits, 172 Shad, - - - 119 Shclburne, - - 52 Shell Sand, - - 187 Shipbuilding, - 217 Shipping, tables of, 311 Shubenacadie River and Lakes, • 31 Slate, - - 253 Smelt, - - 135 Soils, - - 100 " origin of - 161 " vaneties of - 166 ■I y:j ,!/- ■!. .r 4 Spruce, Spring Hill, coal of, Specular Iron Ore, Squid, Squatten, ' tit Croix River, • St. Mary's Rirer, St. Mary's Uav, • fit Paul's Island, Sturgeon, Surveys, Swine, Sydney Minos, < Tanneries, Tatmagouche, > Telegraph, Electric, Temperature, mean annual, Tides, Tide MiUs, Timber Trade, ^ITDfek. Paob. 03 279 203 ISA 72 30 44 65, 300 117i 67, 204 282, 210 37| 32ej 167 281 28, 76, 216| Faom. Torbay, 44 Trappmg, 347 Trout, • 118 Trees, native of Nova Scotia, 77 Tuskot lUver, 64 Turnips, 300 Valleys, - . 36 Wallace Bay, • 87 Waterford, w . 86 Whales, 117 Wheat, - • 106 Whitehaven, 43 WUd Lands, . 61 WUd Animals, 33S WUd Cherry, 80 Witch Hazel, - 80 WiUow, - 80 Winds, 166 Winter, - - . 167 Yarmouth, 181 iu. KHU or INDUSTRIAL KESOURCJES OF NOVA SCOTlA< Halifax, Nova Sootu : Printed bt English & Blackadar. cotia. Paok. 44 247 - 118 77 64 200 26 If 8« iir . 195 4a 91 32S 8d 80 89 166 . 167 181 NEW BRUNSWICK WITH NOTEB ron KMIORA.XTI. t!omprthtnditipf tht early History, an account of the Indiana, S«IU$- nunt, Topography, Statislict, Commerce, Timher, Manufacturta, JigriciUture, t^heriea, Geology, JValural Hialory, Social and Political Stale, Emigrants, and contemplated Railwaya qf that Province. Br ABRAHAM GESNER, Esq., P.G.S., Autlior of " Rematka on tlic Qeulogy and Mineralogy of Nuva Scotia," he: '* Pull of well written information, excellently orranged." — HiM Advertiser. "We have had many volumes of travels, and many lengthy intor- esting oncH, which have nothing like the value of this, in which tho mind of the writ<)r is directed to important objects, and aims at their illustration, brin'^in,? into rcciuisition tho resources of a well- informed mind. Tho book is higlily valuable in reference to the Province of which it treats, and for its sound information on sub- jects of interest in relation to all countries." — Bath Journal. " A very useful and entertaining work upon this unportant out- post of tho British Empire. To those about to expatriate themselvea m search of new homes, wo strongly rncommond this the latest account respecting tlje land of pioinise and hope — British America," — Pictorinl Times. " A very valuable and interesting acquisition to all who contem- plate Emigration, and to tlioso who have friends in the Province, as well as forming a permanent addition to the library of refer- ence." — Critic. " This is a useful and comprehensive book, and one that has long been required, as no history as ever been published descriptive of the resources of the fine Province of which it treats. It will prove a serviceable guide to intending emigrants, and an excellent work of reference on the historical events, and statistics, and pro- gress of the colony." — United Service Gazette. " This is one of the most complete and instructive works recently issued from tlie press, und it has the additional merit of being ex- tremely opportune. It contains every fact of interest connected with the Province. To intending emigrants it is a valuable vade mecum ; while the capitalist, the merchant, and the naturalist, will find much in its pages to instruct and interest" — Liverpool Journal. " The remarks set forth are so truly valuable that every person should possess a copy of this work who has the slightest intention of leaving his native land to seek his fortune in a foreign clime." — Cheltenham Journal. " A work loudly called for at the present time, when such dense ignorance prevails of the capabilitiecr of our Ametican Colo- hies." — Edinburgh Register. '• r. A HAND BOOK, TRAVELLER'S GUIDE, For Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, and Prince Edward Island, with a handsome Map, BY THE SAME AUTHOR, Will be published shortly. GESNER'S GEOLOGICAL MAP OF NOVA SCOTIA, CAPE BRETON. AND PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. Shewing the situations of the several rock formations, and their mineral resources. For sale at the Bookstores of Mesprs. A. & W. McKinlat, C. McKenzie & Co., and E. G. Fuller, Halifax. MORT0T& CO., tMFORTERS AND DEALERS IN GENUINE f Bfiigs, Medicines, Faints, Ferfamery, and Chemicals. Wholesale Agents for established Proprietary Remedies, {.nd British Patent Medicines, Comer of Granville- street, on George-stteet, opposite North- weat corner of Provincial Building, KALrPAZ, NOVA SOOTIA. A. & W. MACKINLAY, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL BOOKSELLERS ^ STATIONERS, 16, GRANVILLE STREET, ^