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ALEXANDER FORRESTER, D.D„ WHOSE COMMANDINQ TALKNTS AND POWERFUL ENERQIBS ARE FAITHFULLY AND INDEFATIGABLT DIRECTED TO THE PROMOTION OP A SOUND AND PHIL- OSOPHICAL SYSTEM OP EDUCATION IN NOTA SCOTIA, AND THEREBY LAYING A BROi^D AND FIRM FOUNDATION FOR THE VUTURB GREATNESS OF HIS ADOPTED COUN- TRY, THIS LITTLE WORK IS RE- fiPBCTFULLY INSCRIBIS), BY THE AUTHOR > '. .. • . • " J .) » • i» t - Arvei^ ^boertiacmetit. In placing this humble offering upon the altar of his country, the au- thor ventures to indulge the cheering hope that the enlightened and gen- erous public of Nova Scotia, will not criticise with two much severity, its numerous defects, but rather look with a favourable eye upon any merits which it may passess. It is with a view, mainly, to the benefit of the young, in whom the author is deeply interested, and for whose welfare he ia earnestly solicitous, that he has, in the face of many difficulties and trials, produced this unpretending volume. Success has, at length, crown- ed his efforts, and " The Land of the Mayflower" is now fairly launched upon the tide of public opinion. If it meet with the warm and welcome reception which the author ventures to hope for it, he will, at no very dis- tant day, again make his appearance before an indulgent public, with a volume of higher pretensions, and one which he trusts, will be more wor- thy the attention of all who are desirous of cultivating an acquaintance with the eventful past and interesting present of British North America. But of this in its proper time and place. The present volume will be found to contain a condensed history of Nova Scotia, from the time when it was first colonised by the French, to the present day ; a picture, how imperfectly soever delineated, of the pre- sent state of the province, and a hasty glance at the probable future. The Author, in this place, gratefully acknowledges the valuable assist- ance which he has received from the deservedly popular works of HaH- burton, Dawson, and several others, especially P. Hamilton Esq., upon whose excellent treatise entitled " Nova Scotia considered as a Field for Emigration," he.hftd .drawn freely, .• * • • . •' . • . • • Preface. "' .^'■®»**'<'8 ^^^ro the man with soul to dead. Who never to himself has said, This is my own, my native land ? VVhoge heart has ne'er within him burn'd, ^8 home his footsteps he has turn'd Irom wandering on a foreign strand 1 If such there bo, go mark him well, ^r him no minstrel raptures swell, High though his titles, proud his name, licundloss his wealth as wish can claim, I)espite these titles, power, aad pelf, The wretch, concentred oil in self. Living, shall forfeit fair renown, And doubly dying shall go down To the vile dust, from whence he sprung. Unwept, unhonord and unsung." tifullvlxnTerpH^finH' 'T'^^^ ^'""' ^°^ ^^' sentiment so strongly and beao. tuully expressed, finds a lioarty response, in the affirmative, in everv virtuouB and generous hearty With the truly great and good, love of country whether tlmrr''^ ^ ^^ ^ '^- "^ H'^ S«'^«° ^^^^t and vivified by ?he ferv^d^hea of t S SeT;.' o? ^""'? ^'r"'^ the drifting snows and bound under thedead^ ening influence of perpetual winter, is a ruling, governine Drincinle nrornnt <^cd B.-de« in 'n ''I*'" ?'^"'' ^^'P^' ^'^h g'^^'-^^^ gliding down their rug- ged Bides, and would not exchange them even for ** — - — "The land of the cedar and vine, Where the flowers ever bloom, the beams ever shine." Ask him which is the best of all lands, and with honest pride he will tell vou ashe pomts upward to his snow-clad mountains, and downward to h i h S and shadowy glens, - It is here. Tell me not of serener .IdZ of greener fieTde at^irsummif^^^^^^^ ' mountain's base, and to chase the bounding chamois man wmT f .111 Ti'"'^''"'- . ^" *° Holland, and ask the sturdy Dutch- wi^r.h i «(a^l ^i»d« he deems the fairest and best, and with an emphasis France vSi'^! ''"''-'f ''^^'" *^'^ ^^^^ '' '« " Vaderland.'^ Step o^ver to K Zbe 'po i^"^,?:r'*'''"r/ ^^V^'- F'^"^"' P^^"^'^" ^'^^^ he believes To tell vou .KT„ F world and with animated look and gesture he will w ll^^ve exn Z ?n^T' ''°^*^''r '^'^ '" *^« ^^^''l"' «°d then, Vchance, he will give expresHU n to his constant aspiration " Vive La Belle France '" Cross mn' rr .^"^•;'H' -ni ^"^"^"-^ • ^"^ ^^^^ how devotedly the Engl sT whSe soul m!]11 " '"'♦•^ ^'r ' •• F''^ P«^^^^«^ truthfulness l,e tellsVu, W. trwhat nr;H. llrff '^^^''^'^'^^ T'^^' ^'' '^'"'>° ^^^P*''^ °^«^ ^ free people, and bil vn?i 1 ^' •^y.° V^'''*' ''^''h'"^ P'^S^"^ «^his country's history. Hotel 6 vCtl^^^^ "^^'''"^' '^"'^ ^'' ™'g'^*i^>' d«^d« «f peace HO tells you that the terror of her arras has been carried into all lands that her glorious old flag proudly floats on the breezes of every clime and that^hebiesf Kalis of r;'"'''T,T^ refinement, based, as dy arc upon the u nyS3- ng bams of her open Bible, are known and felt throuahout the world. He ells you that of old her battle cry -St George and merry England-struck before 1^^'^'"''"'^^^'^ ^^^''^^'^" foes, w"hole hosts of whom went down p iwL of berrrfnT^^^^ "f"" "^rj "" ^?«-S"i-d field ; and that still tTe uTd't a'd'm a on ifu^'^'S '' '" -^~^«. -' ^^ «-«. the wond ^'. 9 li^\l ▼i. PREFACE. ! i II Procped a few lenpors norlhwurd, and ask the (stalwart Scot, now happily united with his poutlitrn ncij;hfiour in the bunds of loving brotherhood, and vying with him ns siiccocsrnlly in the arts o( pence, as his forefathers did in deadly feud— ask him, which is the most glorious country on earth, and hi8 8.»iii-8tirring ^e^p()nso will enibddy the sentiment contained in the stauitt succeeding the one which stands at the head of our preface ; " Oh, Caledonia, atern and wild ! Meet I urse for n poetic child, Liind of brown heath and shaggy wood Land of the mountain and the flood, Land of my sires ! What mortal hand, Can e'er untie the filial band, That knits me to thy rugged strand "? En leaving the Old World, let us pay a "flying viwit" to the •« Emerald Isle and witness the deep devotion of the honest Uih.rnian to his own loved land. With perfect sincerity he tells you that it is the garden of the whole earth, and no land is half so fair in his eyes as his own deeply loved Erin. Cross now, with me, Atlantic's waves, and we will visit the " Great Kepul)- Iic of the West," and propound the same q-iestion to one of its intellioent and enterprising citizens With perfect asnisrance ho will answer, " These free and enii;ihtened States constitute the greatest nation on earth. The British can whip all creation and we can whip the British." He never wearies in extolling the country of which he is a citizen, and truly the high position which that country has so speedily attained to, among the nations of the earth, justifies the pride with which he regards that great and glorious land which has produced a Washington, with a long array of other illustrious names In one word let us "heal the* Kmple field" of the whole earth, and wherever we sha find a noble minded man, or a virtuous and intelligent woman, there we shall find a patriot ; one who loves his or her own country above all others and who counts toil and pain the sweetest pleasures, if thej? but tend to i.ro- mote Its welfare And when oppression strikes down its liberties with a ruth- less hand while lovely woman weeps over her country's wronr,8, and devoutly prays to heaven for its deliverance, stern man girds on the sword, and rushi to the gory fields of war, to avenge those wrongs and to free his native hilla and plains from the oppressor 's yoke, or to yield his life, a willing sacrifice in a cause so holy. ° ' ♦ J"J.n'/'"*rff ^T '?''.«^*«"'^'"K »"d deepening this heaven born principle in the minds of all who claim NovaScotiaas the land of their birth, the followina pages have been written. Why should not the children of the Land of hf Mayflower love their pine-clad hills and smiling vales? It is a country, filled LTir"'^;i!'''\*'?-!°"'* J'"'?'^"' giftsof nature. There is no coun ry on earth wher9 the inhabitants enjoy more freedom, or where they can live more happily Many do love it with a deep and abiding love, and are labour- rS;r t''^'' ^"''''^ by knowledge, for its prosperity fbut Others, and alas! a great m,.ny can see no beanty or excellence in it. On the contra;y they see nothing but deformity and defect. Why ? Because they are at little or no Fn X :! b^^7«^;^^'"'"^^d with the nobler featnres of a country, unsurpassed m the elements of greatness, by any other beneath heaven's azure concave' ^m7ntl, 1 . .1° cu fivate an acquaintance with the past history of our ^ w t^r l.t'r-?"''\^*^T'^^/' ^"?^'«^^« «^ '^^ P''^^^"^ «tate,^espec"aN y with respect to its rich and exhaustless resources ; let them understand thoroughly Its relationship to other countries, particularly to BrS fand when in possession of the powerful agent IntcUilncP, Ifit iLm lahor «.i*h 1° i Tv Jher'^-iJh'^'i'p' ° '"""^'."^ "P' "^"' '"''■^''y *'^«'^ ownYortunesrbut coHoint" ly therewith the Provincial prosperity, and then shall we see our country ra- pidly rjse to Ler true and rightiul position among the states of the earth.^ mm L-' INTRODUCTION. *' Como. bright improvement J on the car of time, wu I . *"® spacious world from olime to clime : Ihy handmaid Art, shall every wild oxploro. Iraoe every wave and culture every shore." — Campbell. Four centuries have not yet rolled away since the continent of North America was first trodden, at least in modern times, by the foot of civi- lizec man The -majestic repose" of nature reigned from the shores of the broad Atlantic to those of the broader Pacific. Wild men and beasta roamed through the interminable forests which waved, in solemn grandeur over valley, plain, and mountain. No human voices were heard among these solitary wastes,save the Indian's dread war-whoop when savacre trib^ met each other in deadly conflict ; or the melody of their soft and silvery voices, when the celebration of festal or religious rites, called for milder accents. Hut a change came. The daring Columbus guided his gallant ships over the waves of an unknown ocean to these uncultured shores, and made the grandest discovery of all adventurers who ever sailed in search of distant lands. Since that time to the present, the « pale faced" nations have been extending their proud conquests and achievements, slowly and mtermittently at first, but with giant strides at length, until now, they nearly ■' " Fill the land." and the once powerful tribes of red men are almost " Driven into the western sea." The prediction of Irving is already in part fulfilled, and will continue to receive fulfillment as age succeeds to age, even down to the end of time. t>ays that inimitable writer, " Various nations and tongues and Ian- guages will fill America with the renown of Columbus and bless his name to the latest posterity." In no period of the world's history have greater changes taken place than those which have been prodnof^d within the last four hundred years ; and in these changes this « western world," including that portion of'which the present volume mainly treats, has borne the most eventful part. A continent, far greater in superficial area than the whole of Europe, has l..»t favoured with respect ,o.l.e benefit »d.l;^ out of .he.„. To a-ace iu eventful pa.. ; ,„ d-h.^ e i "" '""" -t, and .0 ea.. a l.opefu. g,„,.ee u\u I^olable X J /, r:™?::;. the subsequent pages. If, he reader succeed in .a.be ,1 a " f C H A P T K R I . ^KOM T„B r.,SCOV.nv OP AM.„,OA ,V H92, TO ™k C.,.Tt„. „, rOnT ROYAL BY SIR s. AUGALI., ,N 1G13. the''!;d'::,d'':,:i,f rr-r- "t -•• 'i"" "■-« "^ "- c«un.He, of ty. Intore in', fee an fi ' " " '''''""' "' ''"''''= ""'' ""-"""'- array befo^ r^ A ^e , r':; 7' -""r'"";"'' '''"'"•^- ^"""' '" "■'^'' «■ .. once, ,0 i„„™c! aid h es , c^^.r ""n- "hTT" ■""''• '" ■WW lies open before IK T„, '™'^™""- i'"-- '"hand nivjting Add Win not .-eward ::: ialur^ ' -'"""'' ""' ""■ '' "" =""'"*"" ■="■■"- n.aly;:itbo:hf:xra 'f'°^' '"" ■■'•^"°™"' "f"" «'^''""" '«- French and En-lis we, '7"" ■" """ """^"'■^ "^ ^"""■-'•. "■" these rival powers ,o eth „V T, '"''^' """'*■■''• ^hc hostility of broken for- "al Itonuiy s and beau . estial fbrmu ivinnrin t)i„ In these i-^ not I ho avo grown J design of few frag- s memorv, 11 be rich- h> though 'TURK OK mtnes of ncertain- in thick those, so ting field t hai've.^t that for rica, tho nger or stility of nt bear- portion* patron- i Spain. d.>.coverc.l An,..r,o». !!„ „„, ,I,e fi,.„ „„,,„„.„, „f „,,„„, ^ knowledg,., wlK, e,„s.od tl,o A.Ian.ic, „n,l it Ls bo.h frivoluu, „,k1 „„f„ir .J ..Item,,., „. s,„„o l„wc d„n., to rob I.i,,. ,( ,!,„ ,,o„„,. ,v|,i.|, u hi. j-.^,' due. 1 ,.„e ,t ,s, , ,„l, after i,i, first perilcs voy„.e, he .,eci,le„t,.llv hid- cdon one o the is a„d. in the G,.lf of Mexico, instead of „,,„„ tl„Ci,,. Ian-, but .t . e.„„.iy true, that >,e MO. „„y_/„ „„,, ^ plonZ of Zfn'TT.r"" "'"/"'"."«• «"'-» ^l>-'l"y '""owed, L amon, he li . of these ,vas Amencus Vespueius, a native of Florenee, who ol! ta.n,;d honors uhieh p,-operly belonge.l to a,lumbus. Vvom l,i,„ the <»nt,,,e,.treeeiv :,l,e,.ameofA„.erica. In justice to Cohtmbus it should have been cailtnl Columbia. InMay M;)7, John Cabot, an experienced Venetian navigator, with h.s son Sebasfan, .sailed from Bristol with a commission from Henry VII to ake possos,.,on of '^ Heathen lands, unknown to Christians." The ex ' ped.t.on eon^sted of five ship., fitted out at the cost und charges of the Cabot., and two caravels, victualled at the public expense, and freighted by merchants of Br.stol and London, for the purpose of traffic. The whole company consisted of 300 men. Sailing westwardly, they discov- ered land on the 24th of June 1497. The land which they diLverod IS genera ly.snppo.eo province. He also ,ainc tbo confld 7 ,'" '"'""""'"' "''"^^ °' '"'^ '•l'"™-'or. overatte w s .Xl "7'"; """;'™""" "f*" --'.es, win, were -"o.odco„tr„,:wla":dA:t,i.r"""^ """■ """^•'' "'•='"■--" '"- 4rJ.:;:^':''.:L';::'r:r"'''"f^'' -^^ """•-" Q-aH-..^- a. ror. friend nan^ed pll n™ ' ''■"" ,"r. "' "" ^"'''■"■■""■°'' "''» 1"-'™' with tbc native' ;". ', '''";;"'' '"' '"■■■""""■^ »''"'- "-■ eoas. ,r,.di„g ■" exploring b s e"' „ ^ ? ■'"""='' ''"''''"^^- "" -- ver, nctivl from Lis own conntry C c "'i .""• " •'"'"'""^ "'' '^"" ••"'venturers -a .'.0. so a.i..eprL:::di::;::, Xni::!:: rr - """-■ *-'"-" court, tiiat Ills coinmirision ^ 11 if^e an attempt ! limits of the n after, it Ian- 'ries made by Ijert, and the idered by the n of England Jrs of the at- in America. the purpose :no\vn hefore vere the first me from the M'hether the ) the voyage t to colonize 1 Franee by as to select 5 proved the settlement. ' injudieioiis 's whom lie Is. "w France, Ison's Bay. ■ de'i^ditful ^ pro\ inee. i <'haj'aeter. who were ice and in- reiich thus was cancelled. He thereupon quitted all connection with Acadia ; but Pontrincourt was so attached to liis new home, that he remained and turned his attention to Af,'rlculture, in which noble pursuit he was emi- neatly successful. He succeeded in raising fine wheat, specimens of whi.-h h<. sent to France. During De Monts' administration, he and his friend Pontrincourt had gained the confidence and affection of a celebra- ted Indian sachem, named Mambertou, who presided over the tribe which occupied Acadia. At this period there was a sanguinary war between Mambertou's tribe and the Armouehequois, or natives of the country near Cape Cod. Mambertou was victorious, but when, on his return, lu; found his friend De Monts about to leave Acj^dia, he was deeply distressed. Shortly after De Monts's departure this venerable chief died, at the advanced age of 100 years, and was interred in the French l)urial ground with military honors, though it was with the utmost reluctance that he consentcMl to have his remains separated from the last resting place of his forefathers. While the French were occupying Acadia, the English succeeded in establishing a colony further south. In 1007 a settlement called James Town, was made in Virginia, and when these colonists lear ^ that the French had settled in Acadia, considering it within the limits of thel*" charter, fh.^y fitted out a fleet under the command of Sir Samuel Argall, Governor of Virgmia, with which an attack was made upon Port Uoyal in IGKJ, and the French offering but little resistance, it was easily taken. Sir Samrj,;! Argall having found the French king's commission, under which De Monts and Pontrincourt had settled in Acadia, concealed it, in order (o gain a pretext for giving up the place to pillage, and of treat- ing the French as pirates. Not being able to return to France for want of a vessel of sufficient size, some of the French, at the request of Sir Samuel, accompanied him to .fames Town, where they were thrown into prison, as corsairs, and condemned to be executed, a fate which they only escaped in consequence of Sir Samuel having confessed the unknightly act which he had committed, in concealing the French king's commirsion. " at Port I p(.'rsonal St, trading cry active colonists » I venturers )rivilegesf •mmission CHAPTER II. FROM TIIK GRANT OP NOVA SCOTIA, MADK BY JAMKS H. IN IGOl. TO THE OKSSION OF NOVA SCOTIA TO TIIK FRENCH, BY THK TUK\TY OF ST. OEHMAINS, IN 1G32. We now reach a very important period in our history. In the year i 12 1601 king James I. granted to Sir William Alexander, afterwards Farl Gulf of St Lawrenee. The country was named Nova Scotia (New S otiand) ,„ the grant, and it was Sir Williams intention to c onL^ «.th Scotch emigrants. By .ho cl,ange of name was introduced tha confus,on which at a subse,i„e„t period caused so much d fflcly and Pive nse to a tedious and intricate discussion whether Nova S™tTa and t t wITl '""t '"''■""™"^ '''"''''"' "- -- of "■» - co- try, or whether they were two distinct and neighbouring provinces It po e ofencouragmgrn supporting the colony, but he died before this was pm nto execufon. Associated with Sir William Ale^andl, w Z «:nn'CandT "',""''' """ '""' '""^' "'"'^'' ''^ --"• uuii in i^ngiand. Iheir attempts *o introduce Hcatoh e^ffi.. abortive, but they succeeded in capturing setrd F^^M^a ' I , '''T-f f ' ..■*™"r- ^^ '■•« ™cnn time, as Sir Samuel Ar^all's connuest of Ae.,d,ahad not been followed up by actual settlement: te I rnlLj The F ' . '""■ '^""'"' ""'■ i'""""'' '"ken on board one of ed read ly "1111,^' T ""I '" '"^ ^°^''^'' """-'• "« ™"»- wi.bT f , *■" Alexander's scheme for seltlin.- the country : ndttd" afrrT'^"'^ ^"',"='""'™»"^ -e-ayed, ha,r„:rbr warmly lid "s Wi, H:r,r a T' "" "'^ """"" "'' '^■■"'>■"• General, conm-mcd tl™ oft f, ^-Wo-'i^g iHm Governor 1fi2.1 rr 1 <• , ^ ™''"^''' ''.'' patent dated .Julv 12lh Twer",!:: 1":'^ order of Knights Baronet of Nov.a'scotL of each lial'aU ed - ""Ito the settlement, upon the consideration Tour, who haS m'rS ne'TtL^ruC:!::/;""''- ""'""' '' '■' in .he number of these knights, auln'tiv ;::":';::'" ''"^' ni'fsssinns r.^" *i,« 1 r' '"e, *"-*''-' vLu oucn iiattei'inff ex- of his son, Who' :i:™ r, ^ *r:t ,rh''™™:- "" ^""'™'-'^^"" southern part of NovnS.,,- n , '"'"''■'' '"" """"'' '" 'he praLseworCloyaty 1 Ti,, '"",""' ^"""S- La Tour m„,uTes,ed a to be,r,,v d:"I.l'.° '"r f '"- "'"' country. II„ indignantly refused »« rejected the elde It IntnL .'.r:'' ^"f "","" "'" "^^"^ "-""^ upon the fort. After a„i„ ff , , ' ""'' '"'"''= " ">™"» ""ack After an .nelfectual attempt of two days, in which ho lost 18 many men, La Tour abandoned the hope of succeeding in his enterprize, and h,s men were again embarked. After his defeat, he chose the humi- hatmg alternative of accepting an asylum from his son, rather than return to EngUuid m disgrace. Notwithstanding the failure of this enterprize, La Tour was not abandoned by his patron. Tr 3 succeeding year he joined a party of Scotch emigrant.,, who lande.i Port Royal, and built a fort on the west side of the Basin, where Granville now stands, nearly opposite Goat Island. The remains of this fort are still visible, and retain the traditionary name of the Scotch Fort. But now, just as the English were beginning to establish themselves in the country in the year 1632, Charles L, by the treaty of St. Germains, ceded the whole of Nova Scotia and Canada to the king of France. From this unfortunate treaty may be dated the commencement of a long tram of calamities to the colonies, and to the English, the subsequent pro- mcial disputes, and, in some measure, the success of the American Kevolution. CHAPTER III. FROM THE POSSESSION OF NOVA SCOTIA BY THE FRENCH, UNDER THE TREATY OF ST. GERMAINS, TO ITS RE CONQUEST BY SIR WAT. PHIPrS, IN 1690. The French having once more become masters of their beloved Acadia Louis XIIL sent out Razillai as Commander in-Chief, and divided the' country between him and several officers who were appointed to assist him ,n Its settlement. Razillai dying shortly afterwards, was succeeded by Charnise. Soon after these French officers commenced a petty war- fare among themselves, owing to conflicting claims ; but while they were quarrelling among themselves, an English fleet, fitted out by Cromwell for the recovery of Nova Scotia, effected an easy conquest over them, and brought the country again into the hands of the English. While the French were disputing with each other, one circumstance, growing out of these disputes, deserves, at least, to be recorded. It is thi8 :-Charles de la Tour, son of Claude de la Tour, formerly mentioned was m possession of a fort upon the river St. John. Charnise en-aged m hostilities with him, and attacked the fort during his absence.'' His ^pirited lady, Madame La Tour, made a gallant resistance, heading a handful of men in person, and succeeded in repulsing the assailants, until :^he was betrayed by a traitorous Swiss, whom the enemy had found • I u means to bribe to their interest. But even this did not cause her noble spirit to quail. When she found hev^eU betrayed, and that Charnise had mounted the wall, she ascended, sword in hand, at the head of her httle garrison, to dispute the possession with him. Fearing that he would be a second time repulsed, and that, too, by a woman, he offered her honour- able terms of capitulation, which she accepted. No sooner, howt-vcr, had he gained possession of the Ibrt. than he found a pretext for viohiting !he terms of the treaty, hanged the survivors of the brave little gnrri,H)n,''and even compelled the brave woman, whom he could not subdue, to appear at the gallows with a haltar around her neck, in oi-der to give her the appearance of a reprieved criminal— acts which must cause his name to be forever held in detestation. After the conquest of the country by Cromwell, La Tour sou-ht to identify his interests with those of his conquerors, as his father had'done, and obtained a grant of the country from Cromwell, in consideration of the transfer made to his father by Sir William Ah'xander. Shortly after- wards, Sir Thomas Temple purchased the right of La Tour, and expend- ed £16,000 in repairing the fortifications. He was just beginning to reap the reward of his enterprize, by a large revenue from the fur trade when the country was again ceded to France by the treaty of Breda in 1667. In the mean time, the flourishing colonies, known as New En-land were springing up vigorously,-that of Massachusetts being the" most' prominent and flourishing. During the various times that Nova Scotia was owned by the En-li.h It was never completely deserted by the French, who still retainod^pos' session of many obscure settlements. In the interval that now elapsed from the treaty of Breda until the country was again conquered by the Enghsh, the French colonists received but little encouragement or assist- ance from their government. The whole population was estimated at 900. Whde France was thus neglecting her valuable possessions in Ameri- ^, the people of Massachusetts were making preparations to wrest Nova Scotm, at least, once more from her dominion. An expedition for this purpose, consisting of a frigate mounting 40 guns, a ship of 16 guns, and another of 8 guns, with transports for the conveyance of 700 men, were I^aced under the command of Sir William Phipps, Governor of Massa- 1 «on "%. "' '""""^ "''""'"^"^ ^^ ''^'^'^ J'or* I^y«l in May u ' At •:,° yV, ^ "" "-^ '""'^ ^"«" '-^^ t*'<«>PS» and the forts bemg ddapidated, Mamval, the Governor, entered into a verbal treaty u. surrender. Phipps sought and found a pretext for violating the t.rms of the treaty, and treated the unfortunate Manival with much severity at se her noble Cliarnise liad of her httle he would be ! her honour- however, had violating the rarri,-on, and le, to appear ;ive her the his nanne to 15 the same time giving up the place to general pillage, from which neither the pnests nor their churches were exempted. Having compelled ^he people to take the oath of allegiance to William and Mary, he left a Jr son in charge of the fort, and, taking the Governor Manival with him he proceeded to Chedabucto, which he attacked and captured, after a sniHted res,s.ance on the part of the garrison. From Chedabucto, Sir William Pb.pps proceeded to Isle Perce', where the unarmed inhabitants witnessed the destruction of their property and the loss of their chapel. ur sought to ir had done, iideration of horfly after- and expend- leginning to le fur trade, of Breda in iV England, g the most he English, tained pos ow elapsed fred by the It or assist- ited at 900. in Ameri- vrest Nova an for this > guns, and men, were of Massa- il in May 1 the forts 1 treaty vf le terms of everity, at CHAPTER IV. FROM THE EVENTS RECORDED AT THE CLOSE OF THE LAST CHAPTr« TO THE FINAL CESSION OF NOVA SCOTIA TO THE BRITISH ' BY THE TREATY OF UTRECHT IN 1713. Port Royal being left in a dismantled state, and without the protection of a garr^on, was open to the attacks of pirates. The poor Aeadians Z the neighbourhood were soon visited by these remorseless depred tors who set fire to a number of houses, hanged some of the inhabi a ' slaughtered many of their cattle, and deliberately burnt one family aftr havmg shut them up in their dwelling to prevent escape. The Chevalier Vil abon soon arrived from France to assume the command of Nova Scot.a, the French government being unconscious that it had fallen into the hands of the English. He found the British flag flying at Port Rov^T though not protected by any troops. He rep.aced'it 'byS Fnle and .mmediately adopted measures to protect the fort, and the stores which he had brought with him, against the attacks of the English. It was de cided to remove the stores to the fort on St. John river, but on hTs way U^erte pirates captured his vessel, and Villabon narrowly escaped Zl:' u' /f ,!'' ^"^ ^''''^ ''"^'^^ ''' «^'--^ - interview v'ih an assemblage o Indians, exhorted them to remain firm to their treaties to preserve all English captives to be exchanged for French, and alsu ed ten, o the continued protection of France. They promised obedireo h.s wishes, and expressed themselves perfectly satisfied with oZZo the^name ^hich they had given the French king. "'' -ne Ola charter of Massachusetts having been"recently forfeited a new xNova Scotia, with the lands lying between the two latter, were thus an- 16 nexedto Jtaachusel.,, and formed an «tensive tract of not less than 800 m,les ,„ length Sir William Phipps was appointed Governor und« the new el.arter. Still Nova Seotia was, as usual, left in aetual possession of the French, and VUlabon, according to a promise which he had made to he Indmns, returned to his fort on the St. John, which served as a ral lymg p„,nt to the French and savages. Being thus aided by the Indians, who were commanded by the celebrated ]!a,-o„ Cnstine, and remforec^ by two ship, from Quebec. ViUabon captured a strong fo tress named Pemaqu.d, in Now England. To avenge this act, and m.tke mspnsals on the French, the Bostonians sent Col. Church, with about 500 men, who ravaged Beau Basin (Cumberland) and speedily retook o her parts o the country. Up the Bay of Fundy the con<^uo..rs b„ "d churches and other buildings, slaughtered cattle, destroyed expensive dykes, thereby letting in the water upon valuable marshes, and committed many other equally damaging acts of spoliation. Massachusetts, finding the defence of Nova Scotia more U-oublesome and expensive than profitable, wished to be set free from its cl,ar.-e. As .t yelded only furs and fish, it was but little valued by the Bri^sh go- vernment, and consequently in the year 1696, was restored to Fran^ by the treaty of Ryswick. By this t^a.y the French and English at ^mpted to estab hsh a boundary line between New England and Acadia. The eastern hm.tsofthe British dominions were fixed at the river St. Cr„,x but sttll ,t remained a question which of two rivers this was, a, bo h bore the same name. This boundary afterwards continued to be a subject of dispute and negotiation between the two powers, so long as France retamed her American possessions. Encroachment and conquest seemed to be the ultimate aim of her policy. The French possessed two great rivers, the Mississippi and the St. Lawrence, the sources of which were at no very great distance from each her, and formed a Ime almost parallel to the sea coast, which was both c^atmeu and mhab.ted by the English. This territory, therefore, wa^ more than sufBcently ample for all the purposes of colonization, bu both parties earned w.th them to America their hereditary animosities, and frequently commuted acts of violence, even while their respective tate. m Europe were at peace. Thus the se^s of a prolonged and bloody contest were sown with the .«Iy set ters of ooth nations. The immensity of territory for which they bo h involved .n the contest, it was ever afterward impracticable. Th" extravagant and ridiculous grants of land, made by the sovereigns of Sh 17 kingdoms to their subjects, necessarily made them regard each other aa trespassers. The peace of Ryswick was scarcely proclaimed in New England, when the French evinced a disposition to make themselves sole proprietors of the fisheries, and to restrain the English from any part of the country contained in the Massachusetts charter, to the east of Kennebec. Villa- bon exerted himself to the utmost to accomplish these objects, but failed tor want of a suthcient force. The peace which followed the treaty of Ryswick was cf short continuance. Louis XIV. having acknowledged the Pretender, as king of England, war was declared against him on die -ttU of May, 1701. Fearing that the English would again attempt to wrest from them their American possessions, the French began to adopt measures for the effective settlement of Nova Scotia, as well as to erect p.;rmanent and expensive fortifications, in order to hold it. To this end Hrullion, the governor of the country, was ordered to encoura-e the trade of La Have, to erect fortifications there, and to prevent, as°far as possible, the English participating in the fisheries. Li the absence of a naval force, Biullion called the pirates, who at that time infested the chores of the Atlantic, to his aid, and they were not slow in obeying the call. They committed many depredations on the trade of New England, and the money which was thus thrown into circulation, and the quantities' of merchandise which they disposed of at very reduced prices, afforded him the means of paying the savages, whom he instigated to acts of hos- tility to New England. In order to retaliate these injuries, an armament c y proceeded . Britain or md Indians, English, and af the cruel- 8ome of the ig, scalping, on practices arms. The res, namely, or tp leave the country within a year. They did not comply with either of these demands, but, neverthelef=P, they were permitted, at least for a time to re- main undisturbed. That they refused to acknowledge the sovereign of Britain, as their rightful ruler, is not at all to be wondered at. Natur- ally all tlieir feelings and prejudices incline.: to the land of their fathers, whose language and usages they still retained. Naturally enougL, too, they felt disinclined to remove from the fertile fields which by their la- bours, had been gained from the sea or the wilderness. Moreover no fa- cilities were allowed by the government for their removal, and so most of them, at least, remained. The French still retained Cape Breton and Canada. In 1720 they began a strong fortification in the former place. It was situated in the southern part of the island, and, when completed, was one of the strong- est fortresses in America. It cost the large sum of one million, two hun- dred and fifty thousand pounds ! This fortification was called Louisburg, in honor of the king of France (Louis XV.) It soon became the asylum for the perpetrators of the most cruel and daring assaults upon the Eng- lish in Nova Scotia. A settlement at Canseau was attacked, during the night of the 7th of August 1720, by a party of Indians, several of the inhabitants were cruel- ly murdered, and the settlement whs pillaged of property to the amount of £20,000. Many vessels belonging to English colonists, were captured by the Indians, during these troublesome times, and their crews cruelly treated or barbarously murdered. As the Indians were justly regarded as the allies of the French, complaints were made to the governor of Cape Breton of these outrages, committed in a time of peace ; but he re- plied that the Indians were an independent people, over whom he had no control. On the 20th of March, 1744, war was declared by the French against the English. The governor of Cape Breton received intelligence of this fact boifore it reached the people of Nova Scotia, and he immediately com- menced t J take action thereon, with a view to surprise his English neigh- bours on the peninsula. His plans were so far successfully executed, that he captured Canseau ere the inhabitants were fully aware that any dan- ger was threatened. The French next laid siege to Annapolis ; but aid arriving from Boston, they were obliged to raise the siege and retire from the place. They then proceeded to Horton, and committed a variety of outrages upon the English inhabitants. It now became apparent to the British, that neither peace nor safety could be expected for their settlements in Nova Scotia, while the French retained the strong fortresses of Louisburg and Quebec, in their imme- 22 '• HI!' Plil (linte neinrhbouiliood. To finally broak up tlie power of these enemies in North America, then, became an object of paramount iniportunce. T.> accomplish this most desirablo object d lar;?« .rov^jncial force, under Wm. Pepperall, a colon.'l of militia belonging to i. if! ,.^tts, wasi sent against Louisburg in 174'). Additional tuf-*'* wi ,i .in linglaiMl, >»iid the French governor was soon induced to =„.iTender. \V\mi the eoncpmror^s entered the town and ascertained lh«^ strength of its fortitlcations they were amazed at their own suc('(4S. Ab.uf this same tirrir Prince Ed- ward's Island (formerly St John'>) U\i into the hands of the i'Jiglish. In 1740 the French government pr''p)ir<"! to retake Louisburg. .A fleet of 70 sail, induling 11 ships of the line, wi, sent from France, under the command of the Duke d'Anville. Tliis formidable force was to be joined by 1700 men from Canada. Tiie Canadians arrived first, and af- ter waiting for some days for the arrival of the fleet, returned home. After a most disastrous voyage the Duke arrived at Chebucto, with a mere fragment of his force. Some were captured by the English, and others were disabled or dispersed. Many of his men. too, hatrdied and many more were ill. The Duke died of grief in a few days after his ar- rival, and the remainder of the exi>edition returned to France, without attempting the object for which this powerful armament had been sent. In 1748 Cape Breton was ceded to the French by the treaty of Aix La Chapelle, much to .• vej ion of the people of New England, who thereby lost the advantages of iheir proud cou.p.est. No wonder that they were chagrined at seeing, Louisburg once more pass into the hands of their enemies. If Britain had been desirous of inflicting a severe blow upon her infant settlements in Nova Scotia, instead of protecting them, she could not have done so, more efteclually, than by putting it again in- to the power of her enemies to shelter those demons in human form" whoso greatest delight was to harrass her severely tried subjects in Nova Scotia. But perhaps objects of greater importance, and involving deeper interests at home, demanded this sacriflce. The French now revived the old boundary difliculties, and contended that the Acadia, ceded by the treaty of Utreci t, embraced no more terri- tory than the peninsula, and that, conseq.ientlv, a large tract of country oetween New England and the Gulf of St Lawrence, still beloncnni to them. The inhabitants of New England, fearing that Britain wouhfyicld to this most unjust claim, remonstrated stroncl • r^gainst it, and the British government was thereby induced to take prom; nr-rl active measures for settling thecountiy. 3,760 individuals with n. ■ iimii^.s, were sent out under the Honorable Edward Cornwallis, (It .o- Scotia Thev arrived at Chebucto Harbour on the 8th of Juut. 174 . . After fbrminc. \ 23 civil j»ovemtnent. of simple ponstruction, by appointing a council of six persons, Cornwullis sriccted a Mte, and founded a town which h<^. named Ilalilax, ill honor of the Earl of Halifax, who had been an active pro- mot(M' of the enterprise. The French and Indians now seemed incH'ied to adopt a more friend- ly course towards the En^rlish, than they had iiithert(» done. They even made a visit to lUe settlers at Halifax, and tendered their ibmission ( • the En^dish ;,'o\ernor. It is probal)l(', however, that all this wa^ only seemdiff friendlini'ss, and that there was a n;reat contrast between the feelings of their hearts and the expressions of their lips. Their objects may have been to lull their intended victims into a false sense of sf'curity, learn how and when to strike with the most terrible effect, and then to burst upon them with all the fury of their vindictive natures. However this may bo, it is certain that the French government soon sent instruc- tions to these people, inliuencing them to remain true to the cause of France, and to contit ui' ilieir hostility to the English. The Indians, led on by French commanders, committed the most bar- barous outrages upon the infant colony. The town was frequently at- tacked by night and plundered, and the inhabitants could not enter the neighbouring forest, but at the risk of being murdered and scalped, or captured and carried oti* to Louisburg and sold as slaves. When expos- tulation was made to the Governor of L)uishin-g. he niplied, as before, that the plunderers were not his subjects and, consequently, were bevond his control, and that the captives were purohased to save them from' the barbarous Indians. But he shewed his want of sincerity by retaining these captives until enormous sums were paid for their ransom. The Governor of Halifax immediately adopted measures to secure, as fur as possible, the safety of the settlers at a distance from Halifax. He erected a fort at Pesicpiid (now Windsor), and a block house at Minas (now Ilorton). He then summoned the Acadians to take an oath of un- conditional allegiance to the British crown. Still indulging the delusive hope that their old masters would regain their lost possessions, they again refusei] (» Ij.ke the re luired oath. M.ianwhilo the barbarities of the Indians continued. At Dartmouth, where a settlement had recently been formed, the inhabitants were at- tacked, four men killed and scalped, and others carried off. Similar at- tacks were made upon other settlements. Governor Cornwallis, roused to the ueeessity of vigorous measures, denounced the Indians as traitors, and issued orders throughout the country that they should be treated as such. He also organized companies to hunt them in their retreats, and offered a reward often guineas for every Indian scalp. Tlus severe re- / 24 taliation produced a temporary tranquility, and for a short time the In- dian atrocities ceased. Had the Acadian.s -lot been secretly instructed by the governors of Ca- nada and Cape Breton, to hope for the eventual expulsion of the En-lis'h from the country, it is highly probible that these unfortunate people would have submitted to British rule. Vhile the French government was still (p,ibbling about the boundary question, the governor received information from Massachusetf-, that the Commander-in-Chief of Canada had sent two vessels to Bav Verte witfi 600 men, under the command of U. La Come, with munitions of war for an attack, and that bodies of Indians were marching to Join him. The object of these hostile movements seemed to be either to 'take possession of the narrow pass which connects Nova Scotia with New Brunswick or to attack Halifax. The town was, b) the governor's orders, immediatelv surrounded by a breast-work of trees. In the mean time, M. La Come had anived at Bay Verte, and commenced a fortitrcation on the isthmus on pretence that it was part of Canada. * The object of this measure evidently was, to secure the Indians of the continent a free entrance into the peninsula, and a safe retreat in case of pursuit. In thes,>ringofl7oO, Governor Comwallis having leamed what La Corne was about at Chiegnecto, dispatched Major Lawrence, to secure the fi.lehty of the Acadians who resided there, l^ut at his approach they burned their houses and fle.I to La Corne, increasing his force to abo^ IdOU men. Having obtained an interview with La Come, Major Law- rence leamed thatthe French were determined to dispute the terriiorv with the English, and. as his force was too small to cope with that of La Come, he retumc.! to Halifax. He was immediately sent back with •. large force, w.th which he repulsed the French and Indians with immense slaughter. He then constructed a fort which he named aftcM- himsHf Fort Lawrena.. This served to keep the French anm,^^ t i • i — i-P _i 111- Mu__— „ ^,,s, '^iiitii cUati cuuiiuuii tuem to ineu" great and final reward. Many souls, saved through their honoured instrumen- tality, shall shine in the crowns of their rejoicing "on that day," shedding upon them such eflTulgent lustre as shall dazzle even celestial eyes to be- 33 ed habita- ^f.il, in the dwellings, le terrible almost su- tlicrs who, •k. They ssed ladies f message, travelling d often to ds, climb- loe?, with ^jn'ing and travelling, iiig group, L'! coarsest ds of siu- y a " live le sublime ir earnest ir hearers, al's blood" lity to the mucl» of an abun- 1 can look (and who g for the imentality hey exult »e labours their la- )d-washed aiting the leir great istrumen- shedding es to be- hold. But though writing chiefly of those who have passed away, full of the honours which come from God, there is at leust one survivor, (the venerable John Sprott of Musquodoboit, who may be designated " tho aged,") who entered the field a little later, and who is still privileged to work in the vineyard of the Lord. Though he has long " borne the heat and burthen of the d ," yet he still " labours on at God's command." When called, may he g*, up and join the bright throng above, to shine among those who have preceded him to the heavenly shores. ■'35*^=fe^*^5j(«-=^> • mm IL-Tll PBISEST A o CHAPTER I. OEOOKAPniCAL POSITION AND NATURAL RESOURCES C NOVA SCOTIA. '* Not many summers yet have blcosed thy olime, (How short a period in the pnge of time !) Since savage tribes, with terror in their tiain, llush'd o'er thy fields and ravish'd all tijy p'.ain. But some few years have roll'd in haste away, Since, through thy vales, the fearless beast of prey. With dismi.l yell and loud appalling cry, Proclaim their midnight reign of terror nigh. And now, how chang'd the scene ! The first, afar, Have fled to wilds beneath tho riorthern star; The last have learn'd to shan the dreaded eye Of lordly man, and in their turn to dy." — GoliUmitKt Addrtat to Acadia. Having partially, at least, seen Nova Scotia m it was, let us now look upon it as it w, in order that we may learn something of the value and importance of this rich inheritance which has been bequeathed to us by the generation that has passed away. Nova Scotia possesses the most comraarding and advantageous geogra« phical position of any country in North America. It is situated on the eastern side of this continent, and is, therefore, the nearest point of land upon it, to the old world. It lies between the parallels of 43° 25' and 47° N. latitude, and between the meridians of 59° 40' and 6Q° 25' E. longitude, and possesses a climate, which, upon the whole, may fairly be / 34 considered salubrious and agieeable, though it is subject to more frequent changes, and greater extremes of heat and cold, th ui countries situated iti the same latitude, either on the western side of the continent, or in Eu- rope. Its great natural divisions are Nova Scotia Proper and Cape Bre- ton. The latter place, though geographically separated from Nova iico- tia, is united to it politically. Nova Scotia Proper, is a peninsula, (almost an island,) connected with New Brunswick by an isthmus 12 miles wide. It is bounded on the north-east by Northumberland Strait, St. George's Bay, and the Strait cf Canscau ; on the south and south-east by the Atlantic Ocean ; and on the north-west by the Bay of Fundy, Chiegnecto Bay, and the Province of New Brunswick. The Strait of Canseau, which the French called Passage de Frons.ic, divides Nova Scotia Proper from Cape Breton. The surface is agreeably diversified by hills and valleys — that is, it is undulating, though it is not mountainous. The length of Nova Scotia is 256 miles and its greatest breadth about 100 miles, and it contains a superficial area of 15,600 square miles. Cape Breton is an island, lying on the north east of Nova Scotia Pro- per. It is bounded on the north-west by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on the south-west by St. George's Bay and the Strait of Canseau, and on the north east and south-east by the Atlantic Ocean. Its greatest length is 100 miles, its greatest breadth 72 miles, its area about 3000 square miles. Its surface is in general similar to that of Nova Scotia Proper. In the northern part of the island the surface is elevated and uneven ; in the southern and eastern parts it is undulating, with some ranges of low hills. Its climate is, of course, similar to that of Nova Scotia Proper. The whole Province abounds with the rarest facilities and advantacres tor the prosecution of almost every branch of industry. Being almost surrounded by navigable waters, and deeply as well as thickly indented on every coast, except the western coast of Cape Breton, with bays, har- bours and other arms of the sea, it affords facilities for shipping and com- merce, far beyond those possessed by any other country in America. — The surrounding waters being filled, at almost all seasons of the year, by a great variety of fish, there is no country on earth where the fishery bu- siness can be more profitably followed. The mineral wealth which lies npTiPath- nnn wnnn itc cnrfono /»nnjiot!"ff ^f «i..<»»r>!*-" olr,f/» nln^r f,>r\r\<^tf\nc^ -J , _^_... .„, .....!.,,.,.. , ,..f..-u.i^ \}i gttiiiiiv, cictlv., viaV , ii t-fcslUilfc, lime, gypsum, marble, coal, iron, with many other kinds, is beyond all calculation, and would make any country rich, without the addition of any other resource, if fully developed and drawn upon. Containing, as it / 35 tloes, extensive tracts of superior land, its agricultural capabilities are o no mean order. The forests which still cover a great extent of its sur- face, together with the streams and rivers with which it is intersected, in all directions, affording facilities both for communication and the propell- ing of machinery, are also sources of immense wealth to the country. And yet, in the face of these facts, and many others which might be ;;iveti, all tending to prove that nature has been lavish in her gifts to Nova Scotia, an absurd notion has got into the minds of many, not only abroad, but also at home, that this is a very poor country ! That it is too poor, the author knows very well ; but he also knows, as well, that it is so in the same sense that a man is poor, while he has an abundance of money, which he refuses to use. Let us take up some of the more important facilities and advantages, as they are found in the various sections of the province, and see if we can discover any poverty whicii can fairly be attributed to a want of mu- nificence on the part of nature. * CHAPTER II. COMMERCE. The products whicli have hitherto formed the largest portion of the ex- |)orts of Nova Scotia, have been drawn from its forests and fisheries. Min- eral substances, — particularly coal and gypsum — live stock, and agricul- tural produce are also exported largely. The exports under this latter head have increased very much within the last few years. The princi- pal markets for these products are Great Britain, the United States and the West Indies. The principal export to Great Britain consists of tim- ber, both as squared timber and sawed into deals, lumber, Arc, and of ships built in the province. In return for these, there are imported from the United Kingdom manufactures of every description suited to the wants ■of the country. The West Indies have long been the i^-incipal market tor tlie fisli of Nova Scotia, which receives in return produce the growth of those countries. To the United States are exported coal, gypsum, wood, fish, and agricultural and horticultural produce. The imports from * In this part of the work the author has drawn pretty largely from liamilton Nova Sootia as a Field for Emigration. " / n Bit 36 that country consist principally of bronrl stuffs and of American niarmfaC' tures, especially of n cheap description of furnilure and cabinet-work, ear- riaf^ea. and agiiculfural implements. The {general trade of Nova Scotia heinjr divided amon;; various elmn- nels, and carried on in a larjije variety of products, with t>o very ;^reat preponderance of any one, it has not been liable to sueh j^reat ami sud- den fluctuations as have been rath(;r frequent in some noi'Thbounn"' eoun- tries. It has increased very steadily and in proportion to the general growth of the country. The following' statistical information, taken from the Trade Returns of the Province, for the year endin;; Septeniber, 185!), will show to what an extent our shipping and commerci? has already reached : — From the various ports in the province during; that year, then* were, cleared C)HOd vessels of various classes, with an an;gren:afeof ().07,O:)2 tons, and manned by 40,218 hands. The number of vessels entered inwards at the various ports was r),63o carryinj^ r);}8,042 tons. Thiire was ex- ported from the province, articles of merchandise to the value of .£1. '577, 826 sterling, while the value of our imports reached £1,620,191 sterling. There seems every reason to suppose that the commerce of Nova Sco tia, rapidly as it has grown of late years, must continue to grow much more rapidly. By the " Reciprocity Treaty" between Great Britain and the United States, which went into operation in 1851, all uiunanu- factured articles, the growth and produce of Nova Scotia, of commercial importance, may be imported into the United States, free of duly. The result of this is to cause a great stimulus to the export trade of Nova Sco- a, a result which is yet but scarcely commenced. Notwithstanding that, by one article in that treaty, United States fishermen are privileged to parsue their calling upon the coasts and in the bays of Nova Scotia, and in the Gulf of St Lawrence, it is believed that the Nova Scotian fisherman will ever find a ready market for his fish in the United States. However this may be, there are other articles, the growth and produce of this pro- vince, which it is quite certain will ever find a ready sale in the United SU.^es, and at a fair profit to the producer. The decided superiority of Nova Scotia with reference to its agricultural resources, its mines, or its forests, over the New England States, furnishes the best of reasons for such a conclusion. The proximity of the province to the market thus opened to its products, and the comparatively small cost of the transpor- tation of those nrorliie^s ^n mnrtot ntcinn *r\ ay of Fundy. The herring of the Bay of Fimdy is small, but usually fat and of excellent quality. The greatest number of those caught are smoked and pack.'d in boxes. The pollock fishery is believed to be the most valiuxble and extensive of the deep-sea fisheries of the Bay of Fundy. The cod, haddock, halibut, and gaspereau, do not differ from the fishes of those kinds found upon other j)arts of the coast of Nova Scotia. The sturgeon is also frequently caught in the Bay of Fundy, but is not highly valued in Nova Scotia. The bass, a delicious fish, sometimes attaining a weiglit of forty or fifty pounds, is also com- mon in this bay. In the Gulf of St Lawrence the shad .md gaspereau are not so nu- merous nor of su(!li good quality as on the liay of Fundy coasts. All the other fishes alnjady named, with the exce|)tion of the j)ollock are there found in abundance. Tiie bass appears at certain seasons on this coast, in large schules. The niakarel, which forms an imj)ortant article of commerce in Nova Scotia, but which is comparatively rare in the Bay of Fimdy, is abuiuhuit in tliu (lulf of St Lawrence. The sea pei-ch is al- so very numerous. It is in the estuaries of (he rivers on tliis coast that the salmon trout, or sea trout, is found in the greatest numljers in Nova Scotian waters. Ofthese, Uiver Piiilip seems to be more particularly favoured, und is the summer's resort of many anglers. Valuable oyster Fisheries exist at several points on the Gulf coast. The Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia is that most celebrated for its Fish- eries. ^ rly ho salt water fishes already named are here fouiid in abundance, and nnuiy other valuable species besides. The Ilalifiix fish market is said to be the best supplied of any in the world ; and certainly, s 89 ifFord fine- t y as to be pci'cli, the 1 iimny of Vlinai* Ba- ilie taking so waters. 10 licrriii;^ irts of tl>e Minas Ba- 1 in such »>!e waters. ii' tlie riv- of Fiuuly 't number .•k fishery ■a fisheries )ereau, do irts of tlie n the Bav I delicious also com- ot so nu- . All the are there (his coast, article of 1 the Bay •erch is al- coast that •s ii) Nova u'ticularly ble oys-ter r its Fish^ icre found [all fax fish , certainly, if such is not the case, it is owing to no lack of means. The cod swarms along the shores and upon the fishing banks which lie off this coast throughout nearly its whole extent. The supply of this valuable fish, and of haddock, hake, and pollock appears to be unlimited. When cured, they are most frequently sent to market in the form of " dry fish." Delicious lialibut, sometimes attaining a weiglit of r)00lbs., may be taken in the greatest abundance ; and the great tunny, or albicorc, so highly prized in the Mediterranean, is here frequently taken, varying from six to twelve feet in length. Tiie makerel so much valued, frequents this coast in immense "schules," the arrival of any ore of which gives occasion to a scene of great activity among the fishermen who are anxiously awaitmg them. Nova Scotia is, undoubtedly, without a rival in the facilities which it affords for prosecuting the makerel fishery with profit. The shores in and about Chedabucto Bay, the southern entrance to the strait of Can- so, are especially famed for the myriads of these fishes which resort to them annually. In that vicinity the immense schules of makerel are sometimes seen several miles in breadth, rendering the surface of the wa- ter qi'ite smooth, and forming a mass so dense as even to impede the pro- gress of the smaller class of vessels. These waters are their highway to the Gulf of St liawrence, of which, as already mentioned, they form one ignifieant in quantity, and inferior in quality, when com- pared with that of counties which lie along the bay of Fundy and its tri- butaries. The whole of this Atlantic coast district — including the southern half of the county of Guysborcugh, which is very similar in every respect to Halifax County — presents many attractions for the farmer, although not usually represented as a valuabh^ agricultural district. Tlie land of good quality in this district is frequently stony and somewhat difficult to clear / / \ up and put under cultivation in the first instance ; but when once it has been brought to that stage, it is more easy and less expensive to keep it in good condition than many of the more highly extolled soils of the inte- rior counties, owing to the more porous substrata of the latter. Lime, the ingredient which it most requires, can be procured from beds found at the head of Mahone Bay and Margaret's Bay, and on both shores of the Strait of Canseau, and conveyed by water to any part of the coast at an expense which, if the traffic became a regular one, would make its use highly remunerative to the farmer. On pursuing our investigations into the northern section of the province, we find land, for the m. M part, very different from that in the shore counties. Commencing with Diffby, we find that this difference is, as you not very perceptible. The rocks which underlie the soil of the greater part of this county, although not the same as those of Yarmouth, are yet very similar ; and the soil itself, of all that part of the county which lies south-east of St Mary's Bay, bears a like similarity to that of Yarmouth. The small portions of tl^e county whicli remain, are of a different kind of sod, which is, for the most part, !)ighly fertile when once brought under cultivation. Annapolis and King's Countie? are so very similar in their character, that they may be considered together. Tliey are, with scarcely any ex- ception, highly fertile tliro.ighout their whole extent ; but afford many varieties of soil corresponding to the varieties of rock formations which underlie them. Fronting on the bay shore, the ridge of highlands known as the North Mountain, stretche.^^ along the whole north-western limit of the two counties. The soil upon these hills, composed of disintegrated trap, possesses all the elements of fertility ; and accordingly this'' land, wherever it has been stripped of the luxuriant forests whicii grow upon It, yields the farmer a rich reward for his labours. Next to this, and a- bout equal to it in extent, lies anotiier strip of light and mellow but very fertde soil, based upon the new red sandstone formation. This forms the rich and beautiful valley which is drained towards the west by the Anna- polis River and its brano'^es ; and towards the east bv the Cornwallis, Canard, Habitant, and Pereau— the oldest settled and most hicrhly culti-' vated region in x\ova Scotia. Lying next to this again, and fonning the eoutheastern portion of the two c-unties, is an extensive tract, of which the soil, based upon the clay slate witii occasional ridges of igneous rocks, !s very siriiijar to that of Northern Queen's County. A great portion of this tract is still covered with luxuriant forest ; but the land, althou-h in some few localities too broken and rocky for cultivation, wherever cleared has proved itself to be of good quality. In both of these counties, but 43 more particularly in King's County, there are large tracts of the marine alluvium known as marsh, the most valuable description of soil in the province. Tlie Grand Pre, in Horton, forms the largest unbroken ex- panse of marsh in Nova Scotia. The light, loamy soil of the great valley, already mentioned, which stretches across these two counties, seems par- ticularly adapted to the growth of root crops, great quantities of which, especially of potatoes, are there cultivated. In King's County alone, 574,092 bushels of potatoes were raised in 1851 ; and the crop has con- siderably increased with each succeeding year since then. I.arge quan- tities of fruit— apples, plums, and pears— are also raised in these counties, for home consumption and for exportation to New lirunswick and the United States. It does not appear however, that they have any peculiar natural adaptability in this way; for in most parts of the province, fruits of the kinds mentioned can, with ordinary care and attention, be raised in profusion. The whole of Hant's County, with the exception of some inconsidera- ble tracts in the south eastern part, possesses a good soil. Owing to this county's lying mostly in a carboniferous district, there is less variety in the nature of its soils than in those of the last two described. It stands high as an agricultural county, and much of its cultivated land is proved to^be in the highest degree fertile. Windsor is among the oldest settle- ments of the province ; and much of the land in that vicinity is in a ve- ry high state of cultivation. This couaty also contains much excellent marsh land along the numerous rivers which intersect it. Colchester, another large agricultural county, possesses a greater vari- ety of soil than Hants ; but this variety exists in its constituents rather than in its quality. There is a broad carboniferous valley, forming the central portion of the county with deep, loamy, or gravelly uplands, and extensive alluvial tracts of marsh and intervale. The northern part of the county is occupied by the chain of the Cobequid Hills, of the latter me- tamorphic formation ; whilst some spurs, from a similar chain extend m- to the south-eastern part. These hills, when stripped of the dense, hard- wood forests with which the new settler finds them clothed, are found to possess a soil of the highest fertility, and, with the exception of occasion- al spots of stony ground, easy of cultivation. Some of the most flourish- ing, exclusively agricultural settlements in the province are to be found on these hills. Colchester contains f. greater extent of intervale than any other county of the province. This term intercde, it may be necessary to observe, is applied to the expanses of flat, alluvial soil, formed by the deposits of brooks and rivers before they reach tide waters. Where the sea tides have been mainly instrumental in depositing the alluvial soil, it / m 44 is cllod „,„„;,. The mme mmiow is „pplic,l, i„ Nova Sooii,,, „„:„ ,„ a n>o,.e ,.,«.nt ueposit of f,o.,l, wnfr alluvium, fanning fl,,.. of „.., soil. fern,,.,, ,„•,. en'ed ,o the UMially more ...xpcnsive marsh lan,l. Timt por- t.on of ColelK....ler whid, lies nonh of the Coho.iuid llilW, i, .iniial: in soil lo ihat pai I of Cumbeiland whioh adjoins it, C™,S,r/«W, in i,s so,»l,c.,-„ par,, .ml.rac, a large portion of ll,o.so ole. ^ali-d lands k„„«n a.s the Cobequi.l Hills, the general ,,.l,ara,:ter of which m an agr.enllnral point of view, has ,droa,ly been hrielly d,.s,.ribed. It' need only be added, (hat towards ll,e western termination of this ran..e where ,, ,s end.raeed on both sides by the county ol Cn.berland, H.e land beeon„.s more stony than in some of its more eastern s,.,.lions. J he .,.01^1 po, t,on of this eouMly is eom,,osed of lands of lai,^ average quan.y beeoming generally mor,. ligh, andsandy as we travel aorllnvards. Ato n „a, head of Cumb.-rland Basin, and along the rivers Ilebert, • act, of hae marsh, of which valuable description of lan.l, Cn.nberland «.ntan,s nearly as much a, any other three counties in the province , but wU her from natural inferiority of soil, or less skilful cdlivation, the Cut^oerland marshes are not quite so productive as some of those which ^or er upon ,1,,, basin of Minus and i.s tributary streams. The eastern part of, he county of Cumberland, bordering upon Norlluunbcrlaad -Sirait, lilldily by any iqihind soil in the province. /V*« and S,y,ina, Counties are so v.n-y similar in their a"ri,.ullural 3' -f !"•■" '""^ '"•'.V ^<^ considered together. In no cj.side abTe por tons of these two fine Counties, is the soil of an inferior dose, ip, „^ tio- hV;:T''"r«"'? ='°'°''"""^ '^^''^'^' - "- -'■""-'«■■-- -^ mfervale.,. winch are extensive, are similar to land of ,h,. san.e .le.crip- » eounttes, fura.sh sod of more varied quality. In .some few loeali.ie, .. .0 Mony or rocky, as to be extremely difr,c„lt, if „„t even iatpossibk try. I ,c,o,, ,s, for Nova Scotia, a thi.-kly se.lU.d eouatv ; and from the . uan,u.es of , e most valuable agricultural products whici, 1, ha H t /eats produced, may be regarded as, at the present time, the tirs, a.ria,t u ,.1 county ,n the province, with the excption, perhaps, of Iving"," ^ ney also, m proport.on to if. extent, occupies a high rank in this r^pecU 45 sill liar in The southern half of Giiyshorongh Gountij may be described as very similar to Halifax County. Its northern part contains much excellent Roil ; althon;^li in some places the land is too strong to be profitably cul- tivated. There are some fine tracts of alluvial soil along the rivtirs of this county ; and it contains several flourishing agricultural settlements, particularly on the Manchester River and the upper banks of the St. Mary's. The Island of Cape Breton has, in the quality of its soil, as in many other advantages which it possesses.^ been highly favoured by nature. The north-western half of the island, comprising the principal portions of In- verness and Victoria Counties, is generally much more elevated than the remainder, which, particularly on the Atlantic coast is flat, or but slightly undulating. At some localities on this south-eastern coast, forming parts of Cape Breton and Richmond Counties, the land is barr(;n and rocky. Some parts of the imperfectly explored highlands in the northern sections of Inverness and Victoria, are said to be of the same character. But these may be considered as exceptional spots, small in extent when com- pared with the large tracts of good land comprised in this island. The whole interior, with all the shores of the great Bras d'Or Lake and the many inlets which branch from ii, is composed of excellent soil ; and the middle and southern portions of Inverness form a large, uninterrupted ex- tent of land highly fertile, and of nearly uniform quality. This county, although its settlements are of very recent origin, is already one of the first agricultural counties of the province. The soil throughout the island generally is of a description very similar to that of Pictou and Sydney Counties ; and like those two counties, Cape Breton, with the exception ot some small tracts in Inverness, contains no marsh land. Wheat crops do not succeed well upon the Atlantic coast, owing mainly, it is believed, to the prevalence of fog in that part of the country during some stages of its growth ; but it grows and produces well in most parts of the interior where the land has not been exhausted from overcropping. If any parts of that interior are entitled to a preference with a view to raising this r<,luable crop, they are the eastern section of Cumberland, the highlands of Colchester, the counties of Pictou, Sydney and Inverness. Oats, barley, rye, and buckwheat may be raised in abundance, and at com- paratively trifling cost in all cultivable parts of the province. Indian corn, which is so very profitable to the farmer where it does grow well, can be cultivated with success in all parts of the interior ; but the light warm soil and sheltered situation of the lands in the valley of Annapolis and King's Counties renders them particularly favouralP.2 for its growth. Potatoes and root crops of every description succeed well everywhere. / 46 The potatoes of Nova Scotia are verj liighly esteemed in the United States markets, to which large quantities of them have been exported of late years. They are produced in the greatest abundance in the dry al- luvial valleys of Annapolis, Kings, Hants, and Colchester. As a grazing country, Nova Scotia, considering its extent, probably stands unrivalled among the provinces and states of eastern North Ameri- ca. Rearing live stock and keeping a dairy has long been considered a particularly profitable business in every part of the province, notwith- >;tandmg that until late years little pains have been taken to introduce the most approved and profitable breeds of cattle into the country. All the interior comities, from Annapolis to Inverness inclusive, together with many parts of those on the Atlantic coast, are admirably suited to this purpose ; and King's County, Hants, Colchester, and Cumberland, may be named as pre-eminently so, owing to the extent of their marshes and intervales, which, with but little cultivation, yield almost inexhaustible supplies of fodder. Among the agricultural products not named in the census returns referred to, especial mention may be made of /aa; and hemp. The latter of these has never been cultivated, so far as the author can learn, except by way of experiment. Flax has been raised in some parts of the province, with a view to profit ; but only to the extent of sup- plying material for some inconsiderable domestic manufactures. Both flax and hemp of excellent quality can be grown without difficulty in No- va Scotia ; and if cultivated to any extent, would yield a handsome pro- fit to the grower. Hops, likewise, grow luxuriantly, especially in the deeper soils of the interior; but farmers have never thought of cultivating them except for domestic purposes. A good opportunity exi ts of culti- vating them with profit. As already intimated, the apple, plum,pear, and cherry, in all their varieties, flourish well in all parts of the province. Fine peaches and grapes are grown in the open air in some parts, but have not been cultivated to any extent. The value of the various agricultural productions exported from the province in 1859, was as follows : — Potatoes & Vegetables . . . £77,31/5 Apples & Plums 6244 Ale, Porter & Cider . . . . 4199 S«ef 5187 J^""^'' ....... 24,704 ^'•eese 819 Lorn & Oatmeal 2 703 Hides & Skms 8,644 Horned Cattle .... 23,251 Horses 737 47 10 United xported of he dry al- probably th Ameri- isidered a , notwith- oduce the All the ther with d to this land, may rshes and iliaiistible 'd in the jinx and he author 1 in some nt ofsiip- s. Both ty in No- ome pro- y in the jltivating of culti- pear, and province, arts, but from the Oats & Barley Pork & Hams Sheep Swine Firewood 15,486 0,415 248 19,877 Total £214,057 Of course a small portion of some of these articles were imported and re-shipped, but they were mainly the productions of our own country. In 1851, there were 83D,822 acres of improved lands in the province. By far the greater portion of our cultivable lands, however, is yet covered with forests, and a large area, even uigranted. In the face of such facts and figures as the above, who will still have the hardihood to maintain that Nova Scotia is not an Agricultural country ? C H A P T P: II IV. MANUFACTUUES. Nova Scotia, with its abundant material, and the equally abundant fa- eilitiesfor the propulsion of machinery by water power, posesses manu- facturing capabilities of a very high order. Owing to causes which it is is not necessary here to explain, however, but little has yet been done in this important branch of industry. There were, in 1851, 10 steam-mills, or factories, in the province. There were also at that time 1,153 saw-mills, 398 grist-mills, 237 tan- neries, 9 foundries, 81 weaving and carding establishments, l7 breweries and distilleries, and 131 other factories— all upon a comparatively small scale. There were scattered through the rural districts 11,096 hand- looms, from which were manufactured 119,698 yards of coarse woolen, or cotton and woolen, cloth, afterwards fulled ; 790,104 yards not fulled ; and 219,352 yards of flannel. There were 78,076 gallons of malt liquor, and 11,900 gallons of distilled liquor manufactured. The value of agri- cultural implements manufactured was £16,640; of chairs and cabinet work, £11,155 ; of carriages, £9,491 ; of other wooden ware, £19,233; of soap, £28,277 ; and of candles, £21,210. The manufiicture of most of the above-named articles has very considerably increased since 1851 ; but the extent to which they are produced is very far from being com- mensurate with the consumption of the country. The number of vessels built in the province that year was 486, with an aggregate tonnage of 57,776 tons. i 48 C II A P T K R V . JIINF.KAL8. Nova R™tia, ha, be«, e,„I„w,,I l,y ,„m,ro will, ,„i„„,al „„,,„, ,„ , very l„gl, ,!,.„rc.o, but co,n,„„,„iv,,.|y li„|. ;„„ _,.e, hoc,. .1„,„, ,o .xincl Bufe,a„„„| „.,.al,h fV„m ,l„.o .•cour.,.. The ,i,n„ ,„„., ,:„,„„. however w e„,he,„,,,™,„f,hi.,,.ovi,,eewi,, ,„h, „.„,.„.„,, ,„ ,,„,,;,;,;; Gr.„,'te i, f„„„J h, grc.at ahculnn..., „„.! ofoxodK.nl quality, i„ „,any place. o„ the Atht„t,c ,.oas.. Th. „uam,.s which have he,,.,, «o,l«,l to the gr..atest extent a,-e at Shelb.„.„e an.l Halifax. G,-oat fi,cili,ie. eKist a both for q,,arry,„g and shi|,|,i„g ,he «tone. F,-„,„ the . (J„ee„-» Q„ar. no., at th,, latter plaee, la,ge ,,„ ,i,.,, have bee,, taken for the e„„.t,.„c. fon o the f„,.,,„c.at,ons of Halifax, Ibr which |,u,-p„,e it i, highly estecn- cd. (.ra„„e has been to .o,ne ..x.ent ex,,o,-te,l fmra ,SI,elhu,„e ,„ ,he Utntcd .State,. a„J ne,ghbo,„-i„g ,„,,vi„ees. The,-e a,-e la,-ge <,„a,„i,ies of cxce on gran,te, read.ly accessible fo,- ship.nct at l!a,-,.in.,on, nca,- the ™o„,h ot .Masquodoboit Rive,-, in the vicinity of Cape Canso, a,„l at va nous other places on the Atlantic coast. The slates of the obler n.eta- morphtc d,str,ct airo,.d, at a great number of localities, good tnat.uial for he roug erk„,d of walls. an,l ,„a,erials which may be quarried a, d fitted for bu,ldmg at vei-y slight expense. The Devonian and Silurian di.„.ict is rich in building .natcrials. S!e. nue ^nd porpk„ o good and beautiful qualities are found in g,.eat a- he br,» dOr Lake, and various other places in the island o( Cape lire- on and ,„ the range of hills which skirt the Annapolis Valley'on the o th. Slate of excellent quality, is found at New Can.aan, nc:ar Kent- vde, along the range of hills lying between the .Stewiacke and Musquo- po at or*'" u" T'""" P"-' "' '•"•"'" C-unty, and at various o'her Ifi f H '• 7 , !;:'■'"•" "f P™-™g .oofing slates. MpAaU 0/ Oa- it .. '" V'f '"""""■■"'''>■ "°'"' of "« Stewiacke. at Five A F tlda : ": f "" "'"'"" ''"'"'' '"' »' -»« othe,. loealitie, r'Jr, K '" '^'■°"' "'"'"'^''"'=^' ""'' ''Oil. there and a. .S.ewi- acke It ha.s been quarr ed and pvnnrf„j .^ States and rrPHfR-r i ^''P^''"^ '° ^^0"^« extent to the United states and Great Britain, where it i.s mixed with wlr--^ !-.i l-obequ,d H,II,. One descnpt.on. known as artificial >lale is rauidiv gro„,„g .„,„ repute throughout North America. When mtd whh oil' 49 3alth in a to extract liowever, •available t iniiicral , in many Norkt'd to itio.s exist ii'.s (^iiar- '.'onstruc- y estoem- ne to the iiititic's of near the 11(1 at vu lev m eta- material n-ied and Is. Sie^ great a- shores of ipe Bre- ^ on the ar Kent- Musquo- lus other cinity of te 0/ ha- lt Five )caiities. t Stewi- United a paint. 5 of the rapidly vith oil, and laid oil over wood, It possesses the rare and invaluable quality of ren- dering it ini[)crvious to damp and proof against lire. First among the numerous mineral deposits of the Nova Seolia car- boniferous district, we may mi-ntion i'^al. It is probable that Nova Sco- tia, in proportion to its extent, stands unrivalled in tlui productive capa* bilities of its coal-fields. Tlie most western of these valuable deposits, so far us ascertained, exists at tiie Joggins, on the shore of Cnmberiantl lia- sin. In tiiis coal-ficdd, there are seventy-six beds ot coal, with an aggre- gate thickness of 41 feet. Of the scams which may be profitably worked, there are six, coniprising together a thickness of 18 ft. ('» in. About twenty miles south-east of the Joggins, at Spring Hill on the i.orthern skirts of the Cobeciuid Hills, wc lind another great coal deposit, which g(^ologists declare to be (juite a different field from the one just de- sciibed. This being in an inland position, has not yet been opened, or thorougiily exi)lored. Its coal has been proved, however, to be of ex- cellent quality ; and it comi)rises many valuable beds, one of which is twelve feet is thickness. Another coal-field can be traced along the southern side of the Cobequid Hills throughout their whole extent, from Cape Chiegnecto to the borders of Pictou County. This field is not yet mined at any point, nor has its real extent and value been yet ascertained by any close examination. Another coal-field exists on the southern side of the Minas liasin, extending (piite across Hants and the southern part of Colchester Counties. Several small scams appear at or near the sur- face along the banks of the Kennetcook, Shubenacadie, and Stewiacke, and of small streams emptying into them. The next great coal-field that we find, travelling eastwardly, is that of Pictou. The principal beds 0^ good coal in this field are of the respec- tive thicknesses of 24, 18, and 6 feet. The first of these has been work- ed for many years at what are known as the " Albion Mines." Beds of coal occur se ores Is found to be equal to any in the ^vorld, m the rare properties requisite for making good steel. An Act of Incori,oralion has been procured from the Nova Seotian Le- crislature, durin- the session of 1855, incorporating ihe proprietors ol^ these mines by the name of the - Acadian Iron and Steel Company. 1 here .eems to be no reason why the operations of this Company should not be •Utended with complete success. As already shown, the supply of the ore app(^ars to be almort inexhaustible. The iron made from that ore is equal to the best quality produced by any other part of the world. There arc immense forests in the immediate vicinity of the mines, sufficient to supply them with charcoal at a small expense, for many years. Good freestone for building purposes, and, it is said, good fire-brick clay, are found at a short distance from the works. The Great Village River and other streams traversing the vein of ore, afford water-power sufficient to drive any machinery that will probably be required ; and there is a ship- ping-place easily accessible, at five and a half-miles distant from the spot where the company has commenced operations. A very extensive deposit of iron ore, of a description similar to that of Nictau, is found at East River, Pictou, and within ten miles distance from the Albion coal mines on that river. The vein at this place is sixeeen feet in thickness. The situation of this deposit, like that of the Cobequid Hill, affords every facility for the profitable manufacture of iron. There is a coal mine in operation, extensive forests for the production of char- coal and an abundance of good building stone and lime, in the vicimty of the b.>d of ore. Clay Ironstone and Urown Hematite are also found m abundance in the coal measures, neare- the mouth of the Last River, and in the imiflediate neighbourhood of the coal mines. There are no works in operation for smelting any of the ores found in Pictou County. Iron ore, in various forms, is found on the Shubenacadie, near its mouth. It has also been found in small cpiantities in several other places, affordin- -ood reason to believe that further extensive deposits of that valualde material will be discovered upon a more general research into the mineral wealth of Nova Scotia. Copper ore occurs at several places in Nova Scotia. Large and nu- merous fragments of that ore are found in the southern part of Sydney County, ailbrding indications of some valuable deposit in that section of the country. It is also found in the high lands in the rear of 1 ive Ishuids, and at various other points in the Cobequid Range. Copper ores, in the form of the grey sulphuret and green carbonate of that metal, and ot a 54 rich quality, occur at several places in Pietou County, particularly at East River, West River, and Carribou. A specimen from the hitter place was found, on analysis, to contain 40 per cent of copper. Ores of the same description have been found, at JVIinudie, in Cumberland, and near Tatamagouche, in Colchester County. Virgin copper is found, in grains and in masses in the fissures of thf> trap rock at Five Islands, Cape D'Or, and at several other points in the trap district. Galena, or sulphuret of Lead, occurs at Gay's River the bouudnry be- tween Halifax and Colchester Counties ; also at Guysborough and" sev- eral other places. At Gay's River it is associated with s'iher. That particular part of the country where this ore is found is still covered for the most part with forests ; and little pains have been taken to ascertain the extent, or discover the most valuable deposit of it. From the indi- cations already observed, it is quite probable that, upon a careful exami- nation of the neighbourhood by competent parties, such a deposit will bo discovered, of great value, with reference either to the lead or silver con- tained in it, and perhaps with reference to both. MamjanesP. ores are found in several parts of Pictou County ; aho at Cheverie, Walton, and Rawdon, in Hants County, on the banks of the Shubenacadie, at Pan-sboro, and at Cornwallis. Small quantiti.'s of it are occasionally shipped from Walton alone. The mineral substances which may be classed as Precious Stones are confined mostly to the trap districts. They comprise articles applie'abl. tojewellery and ornamental purposes; and also a -reat variety of sub- stances of interest to mineralogists as specimens of the minerals formed in volcanic rocks. Nova Scotia has become widely celebrated amon- scien- tific men for the abundance ajid variety of these specimens, and the facili- ty with which they may be procured. I\rany of them are very b.'aufifui • and several of those usef.,1 for ornamental purposes are so plentiful and' so easily obtained as to be quite worthy of attention in an economic point of vievv. These minerals are found in the rocks throughout the whole Irap district ; but are most sought after among the cliffs of Cape Blomi- don, Cape D'Or, Partridge Island andother points on the shore of Minas Channel and its vicinity. At those places the action of the winter fro.t« upon the exposed lace of the cliffs is such that, every spring, r^reat "av, lanches," or land slides take place, and the finely crystallised "and beauti- ful minerals are then found in profusion among the fragmentary lock. scattered upon the shelving beach. Fine specimens of many of the min- eral substances already mentioned, are found among the Trap rocks Of these there are several varieties of iron and copper ores, oxide of man- 55 ularly at he latter Ores of and, and es ofthf Its in the ifl'iry be- aiid sev- '. Thar zered for Lscertain he indi- 1 exami- t will btj ver con- ; also at s of the ;ies of it ones, are )|)licab!c of siib- >nned in ig scicn- 10 facili- I'autifiil : liful and lie point te vvholn i Blomi- '(" 3[inas er frosts it "'ava- 1 beaijti- y rOfk* he min- ks. Of of man- ganese, sulphuret of lead, carbonate of lime, and sulphate of lime, and gypsum. The minerals exported trom the province in 1859 were as follows ; — Coals to the sterling value of . • • £85,682 Gypsum " " ^ 7,479 Hardware and Iron . . • • • • 20,9 a 4 Total, 124,115 We might extend this interesting chapter to the dimensions of a large volume, and still be very far from exhausting the subject, wnich like the substances of which it treats, seems to be exhaustless. CHAPTER VI. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. It has been truly said that " intelligence lies at the foundation of a people's greatness." Unless the masses be educated, in the true sense of the term, it is in vain to expect to see them happy and prosperous, how thickly soever the gifts of na^r. : may be strewn around them. Hitherto the Oj>n>nou Schioh ^ ir country, the only means of dif- fusing the blessings of education among the working classes— the bone and s^inew of any country— have been, with few exceptions, far below the standard requisite for eiFccting the great aim and object which such in- stitutions should ever have in view. But a very decided change for the better is now in progress. The foundation of an improved system of Common School Education was laid, a few years sin^e, by thelaboursof our talented countryman, J. W. Daw- son, while Superintendent of Education in Nova Scotia. It is to be deep- ly re-retted that the services of this gentleman, not only in the great field of education, but also in others, of the deepest importance, were so little appreciated, by his countrymen, that they allowed a lister province to take him from us. Mr Dawson, while he held the ofRce alluded to in Nova Scotia, agita- ted the province from centre to circumference, arousing the people to a sense ot the overwhelming importance of securing and applying the mean.^ necessary to thoroughly educate the youths of our land. H(^. also ursed the snbjc - with zeal directed by knoicledge, upon the attention of our Legislature. Little action, however, was taken upon the great measures which he proposed, until after his departure from amongst us. N 56 Mr Dawson was succeeded in his office of Superintendent of Eduea- tion by the Rev. Alexander Forrester, D. D., and during the Le^ishitive sessmn of 18o3, a measure was passed, in the affirmative, for the endow- mentof a Provincial Normal School, to be established at Truro, of which the Supcnntendont of Education was to be Principal. Accordin-^ly, i„ the autumn of 185o, the Institution was opened, and it has been in vi<.. orous operation ever since. Model Schools have since been connectc^d with the Seminary for training Pupil Teache,-s, and the whole establish- ment ,s now in a most efficient and p,-omi,sing sta-e Dr Forrester is emi- nently the "right man in the right place," an.l if his hands be duly strencrth- ened for the great work in which he is engaged, by the popular voice"ex- pressed through their representatives in Provincial Parliament, as well as du-ectly he will ere long place the common schools of Nova Scotia upon such a footmg as will secure to our youths all the advantages arising, from a sound physical, mental, and moral Education. In justice to the gentlemen who have from the opening of the In.titu- tiondown to the close of the last session, acted as Dr Forrester's subordi- nate officers, in the Pupil Teacher's department, namely Messrs MulhoL and and Randall, it ought to be stated that they have very ably support- ted the learned Doctor in conducting the affiiirs of the Institution. It ;s to be regretted that the last named gentleman has recently consid- ered it necessary to resign his situation. The came is not yet made pub- he. but It IS to be hoped that one whom hundreds of his former pupil., in- cluding the author, justly esteem, on account of the invaluable instructions received from him, and the uniform kindness with which these instruc- t.ons were given, has acted from a sense of duty both to himself and the Jn^t.tution. At the same time it is to he hoped that another, equally well quahhed will be found to occupy the important place left vacant In. his retirement, and that the Institution will continue to be worked efficiently and harmoniously throughout all its departments. One thing more is imperatively demanded to place the educational in- stituhons of our country on a broad and tlrm basis, and to .nVe the desir- ed efficiency to the Normal School, and that is Gkxeral AssEss^rFNT FOR TIIK SUPPORT OF EducATIOX. _ Besides the xNormal and Model Schools, there is at Truro, a very effi- cient Semmary belonging to the Presbyterian body, so that Truro may be eonsKlered to be the Literary metropolis of the provinee-in fact, it is There are many faciliiies for obtaining education of a higher class. rrammar Schools or academies, in which the classics and the higher branches of English education are taught, exist in nearly all the tomis. 57 or large villages of the province. There are also three chartered colleges in operation — King's College at Windsor, an Episcopalian Institution, Acadia College, Wolfville, Baptist : and St Mary's College, Halifax, Ro" man Catholic. Another Catholic educational institution of the higher class has recently been opened at Antigonish. Although these institutions are under denominational control, no religious tests are required of stu- dents on matriculation. The curriculum in each of these colleges, ex- tending over four years, does not diifer materially from that of the others. It usually comprises courses of instruction in the Latin and Greek lan- guages, mathematics, logic, rhetoric, and moral and intellectual philosophy. In King's and Acadia Colleges, there are also theological departments having professorships of Hebrew and theology. The " Free Church Col- lege for the Lower Provinces of British North America'' is located at Halifax, and affords a course of instruction similar to that of the other in- stitutions just mentioned. Gorham College, Liverpool, Queen's County, under the control of the Congregational seel, was suddenly interrupted in its operations in the year 1854, owing to the destruction of the college building by accidental fire. This serious damfige has not yet been re- paired. The Presbyterian church of Nova Scotia has a Theological semi- nary, now at Durham, in Pictou County, but about to be removed to Truro. Dalhousie College, at Halifax, was incorporated in 1820 ; when a building was erected at the public expense, and a sum invested in the British three per-cents for the support of the institution. It has not, as yet answered the expectations which were entertained concerning it. CHAPTER VII. CIVIL DIVISIONS AND OTHER ITEMS OP GKNERAL INTELLIGENCE. The principal civil divisions of Nova Scotia are, Counties and Town- ships. Counties are the most important of these divisions. Each county sends representatives to the House of Assembly, has a Sheriff and a bench of Magistrates, has two Sessions of the Supreme Court in each year, and has the power of levying taxes within its limits. There are eighteen Counties ; fourteen of which are in Nova Scotia Proper, and four in Cape Breton. Townships are subdivisions of Counties. Most of them were original- ly tracts of land granted to Companies or Associations for the purpose of settlement. ;/ hit'' illii 58 Townships can assess themselves for the support of the poor ; some of them have the privilege of sending Members to the Assembly. The names of the Counties, with those of their townships, and shire towns, with the date when each county was settled are as follows :— * Counties. Townships DiGBY. Yarmouth. Queens. Annapolis EiNe's. LUNENBUnG. Hants. Uaupaz, colchestkr. Cduberland. PiCTOU. BynNET. QursBORouGn. Inverness. BlCDMOND. Cape Breton. Victoria, Digby: Glare. Yarmouth: Argyle. Harrington: Sholburne. Liverpool: Guysborough. Annapolis: Granville: Clements: VVilmot. Horton: Cornwallis: Aylesford. Chester: Lunenburg: New Dublin. Windsor: Falmouth: ^ewp(;rt: Kempt: Rawdon- Douglas. Ilahrax: Dartmouth: Lawrencetowu: Preston. Truro: Onslow: London- derry: Stirling. Amherst: Wallace. Pars- borough. Piotou: Egerton: Max- w el ton. Antigonishc: Arisaig: Tracadie: St. Andrews. Manchestei : Guysbo- rough: St. Marys. Port Hood: Canseau: Margarce: Ainsle. Aricbat: Maitland: Len- nox: Hawksbury. Sydney: St. Patrick's: St. Andrews. Shite Toionx j Whend^ by whom settled. Digby. 1708.— Loyalists and French Acadiaus. 1763. — French AoadianB. First settlers were French. The first Br. settlors ar- rived in 17G1, '62, & 'e3. 17C0. — Emigrants from Massaobusctta. 1G03 — French. Yarmouth. Shalburne. Liverpool. Annapolis. Kentville. Lunenburg. Windsor. Halifax. Truro. Amherst. Pictou. Antigonish. Guysborough. Port Hood. Ariohat. Sydney. BadJeok. First settled by the French. 1751. — Germans ifc Swiss. First settled by the French. 1749 — English, Irish, and Germans. French Acadians. French. 1705. — Emigrants from Maryland. 1784. — Ditbaadfd soldiers. 1784, '85, & '8G. LoyalisLt and disbanded soldiers. French, French. French. Recently divided off from Cape Breton County. inn' \\T^ '"'.l^ ^"^ ^^^. ^^^ ^""^"^ *^*^° '^^^'^ «""« of *bo Copies were first sottled.- Aij that the author could aacertain are given in this table. ; some of and shire vs : — * 'lom settled. ts and iaua. Aoadians. cro French. settlors ar- , '02, it '63. Dta from ;9. tbo French. 8 & Swiss, the French, , Irish, and 13. nts from led soldiers. . Loyalists id soldiers. led off from County, St settled. — fi9 The following are our Porta of Entry and Departure ; eacli carrying on a rapidly increasing trade : — Advocate, Amherst, Annapolis, Antigonish, Arichat, Baddeck, Bar- rin"ton, Bear River, Beaver River, Bridgeport, Bridgetown, Canseau, (Cape), Canada Creek, Church Point, Cornwallis, Clementsport, Digby. French Cros.«, Great Bras d'Or, Guysborough, Halifax, Ilantsport, Ilor- ton, Joggins, La Have, Liverpool, Londonderry, Lunenburg, Maitland, Parrsborough, Pictou, Port Medway, Port Hood, Pubnico, Pugwash, Ragged Islands, Shelburne, Sherbrooke, Ship Harbor, Sydney, C. B., Syd- ney, (North), vSheet Harbour, Tatamagouche, Thome's Cove, Truro, Tuc- ket, Wallace, Walton, Westport, Weymouth, Wilmot, Windsor, Yarmouth. The numbers comprised in the various religious denominations in the province, as shown by the last census, are as follows : — Roman Catholics . . 69,634 Baptists . . . 42,243 Church of England . 36,482 Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia . . 28,767 Free Church . . 25,280 Methodists . . 23,596 Church of Scotland Lutherans . Congregationalists Universalists Quakers . vSandimanians Other denominations 18,867 4,087 2,639 580 188 . 101 3,791 The whole number of churches in the province, at the same time, was 567 — equal to one for every 487 inhabitants. CHAPTER VIII. MEANS OP COMMUNICATION. Common Roads, most of them good and many of them superior, now intersect Nova Scotia like a net-work. At all seasons of the year we can travel to and from every .settlement of the country, with ease, celeri- ty and comfort, to which the first settlers were strangers. These road«« are all free, toll-bars being unknown in this country, and there are but two bridges, namely, the Liverpool, and the Avon bridges, at which tolls are lakenf rom passengers. Rail-roads are, at length, comifienced in Nova Scotia. It is destined to coTmect this province with the others west of us, by means of a Grand Trunk Line, which has already been extended to Truro — 60 miles from the capital, with a branch to Windsor, 45 miles from the capital.^ A branch to Pictou, forty miles from Truro, is in contemplation, and will be carried into execution, so soon as the Government, which has control over these great public works, can command the necessary means. An "inland Navigation Company was incorporated by actuf Provincial Parliament in 1853, to resume and complete the " Shubenacadie Canal." The object of this enterprize is to connect the Harbour of Halifax with Cobequid Bay. Locomotion is to be aided on this Canal by means of a series of locks, and two inclined planes, to be worked by water power machinery. One of those inclined planes is 1.320 feet, and the other 500 feet, in length. There are to be eight locks only, each of wl;ich will be in length 67 feet ; in breadth, 17 feet ; and to have 5 feet depth of water. They'^are intended to af!brd locomotion to boats of 100 tons burthen. This work is now nearly completed. y 60 Tho « St. Pc'ler's Canal" was commenccrl in tlio autumn of 18o4, as a pruvincial work. It is to connect the waters of St. Peter's IJay, on the Athuitie coa.t of the ishmd of Cape IJreton, with those of the Bras d'Or Lake ; and, wiien eomphited, will divide Cape Breton into two i>lands. This will be a woik inconsiderable as to its ma^niitude, but of great im- portance to the interests of tlie i-Iand of Cape lireton. It wiiropcn into the .trreat Bras d'Or a safe and easy entrance, and one by which access to It wdl be sought much more freipiently than through the natural oiulet of that lake. Tiie advantages expected to accrue from the completion of the work may be seen by a glance at a map of the countrv. The lenr^th of St. Peter's Canal will be only 2,;500 foet ; its breadth' at water line, oO feet ; depth of water, 13 feet. It is intended to have one lock at the St. leter's Bay t(>rmination, ^nd a guard-gate at the Bras d'Or. The length of the lock will be 120 feet ; widih of ffates, ii feet. Tiiese di- mensions are expected to be suilicient to accommodate any coastin-^ or fishing vessel frequenting the neighbouring waters. '^ Every county in Nova Scotia is connected with the provincial metro- polis, and with the neighbouring provinces, and the United States, by Imes of electric telegraph. Those within Nova Scotia are owned and worked by the " Nova Scotia Electric Telegraph Company." They ex- t(md over a distance of 1,124 miles; and there are thirty-six telegraph ofBces m the provinces. The tolls for messa-es upon these lines are low, beuig at the rate of sixpence sterling per ten words, for distances not ex- ceeding sixty miles, witli proportionable increase for additional word.-, and for greater distances. During the summer of 18o(;, the "New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company," succeeded in subnuu-g- ing a cal.le, by which the Nova Scotian lines were put in connection wiili bt. John s, in Newfoundland. In the Provincial Legislanire, durin-r the session of 1S57, a bill was passed giving to the "Great Atlantic Tele- graph Company the exclusive right, for twenty-five years, to land upon the coast of i\ova Scotia a submarine cable, coiuiectin- this province with the British Inlands. This truly magnificent enterprize was carried into execution, mid messages were actually transnvtted across the Atlantic, but ,t IS to be deeply regretted, that 'it has since proved a failure, the ca- ble being partially destroyed. May we not hojie that the hand of science will yet effect, among other wonders, the execution of this great scheme, and render it permanent. CHAP T E 11 IX. A 1=^1:^ GREAT POINTS OF CONTRAST BETWEI:N TIIU PAST AND PR1'\SENT. How chang'd the scene we now behold ! Fioin wlint our ftUlieis saw, Who tdil'd and bled in diiys of old, That we might dwell 'neath freedom's law. r\ I' c — Original, Our forefathers who first came hither, found almost the whole country one vast wikh-rness. Immense tracts of this great wilderness have fallen before the sturdy strokes of the settler's axe, and where once the " -rand 61 if 18.") 4, as a IJav, on the le i?ras d'Or two i^laIlds. )f great im- ill o|)('ti into ic'h acccfis to iral (Millet ot* oin|)letion of The lengtli water line, i loek at the d'Or. The Tiu'se di- coasting or icial raetro- Statos, br- owned and They ex- X teh'gi'aph nes arc low, IOCS not ex- 1 word- and New York, in snbnuirg- leclion with duriiig tlie antic Tele- 3 land npon ovince with :'arrit',d into he Atlantic, (M'e, the ca- d of Hcienco eat scheme, ST AND — Orlginu'. ^le country have fallen he " grand . old woods" stood, with sombre aspect, we have now at least, one fine ci- ty, with a multitude of towns, villages, and rural settlements, all present- ing a most smiling and [)rosperous appearance ; and still, the woods are falling to make room for the cultivation of the various vegetable produc- tions, necessary for the support of animal life. Our forei'athers, when ihey would visit distant settlements for business (pleasure was out of the question), were obliged to travel for the most pari, on loot, often without even the convenience of roads, trudging over uneven paths, or finding their way by '"blazed" trees, and either carrying heavy loads upon their backs, or pushing and paddling them up streanifj in canoes. We now have a country intersected, in all directions, with ex- cellent common roads, together witli over 100 miles of railway, affording easv and comfortable facilities for travelling from settlement to settlement eitlior on business or pleasure — the labour being performed by the faithful horse, or the gigantic power of steam. Seldom could the early settlers hear " Any kind endearing report," from the far-off homes of their youth, and even after a letter, containing such earnestly desired intelligence was received in Halifax, it was weeks, often months in reaching its destination in some back settlement. Now we can hear from the land which we call by the endearing name of "home," almost weekly, while in a day or two communications go from one end of the country to the other. Few vessels (except in the time of war) ever either visited our shores or sailed from them, in those early times. Now stately ships glide grace- fully and " floating palaces", propelled by steam power, speed swiftly in- to and out of the si)arkhng waters of our commodious harbours, over which the bark canoe of the red man was formerly paddled, by his own hand. Seldom could our forefathers hear the truths of the ever blessed gospel of Christ, enunciated by a minister of that gospel. In order to hear the word of God they were obliged frequently to travel many miles, through the forest, and upon such wretched roads and paths as have already 1)een described. We can hear those precious truths which are designed to lead souls to heaven, at least every sabbath. IViei/ were often ready to perish for lack of the heavenly manna and the waters of eternal life : we " sit at a full board", and enjoy the " fullness of the gospel feast." The invaluable blessings of learning were almost entirely beyond the reach of our forefathers ; but now the pure streams which emanate from a sound and philosophical system of education, are flowing abundantly through the land, and all can drink of their refreshing waters. Oh ! when we contrast our condition with that of those who preceded us on this portion of the world's great atage of action, in regard to the " means of grace" and the blessings of education, let us thank God from hearts swell- ing with gratitude, that " the lines are fidlen to us in pleasant places, yea, that we have a goodly heritage." At the same time let us awaken to a full sense of the weight of responsibility which th'^se precious privileges impose upon us, and let us take care to improve them to the glory ot God and the good of our own souls, that they prove not so many " ponderous weights," to sink us into the lowest depth of perdition. IP' 62 Frequently wore our foreflithers called upon to take up arms and de- fend their own lives and those of their families, against the attacks of vin- dictive enemies. In these struggles many of them^ell, and their lifeless bodies were left, after having been horribly mangled by the cruel sava- ges, to feed the less cruel beasts of prey. In these harrassing conflicts some of the purling rills which irrigate our soil have been made to "blush crimson," as they ran on in their courses toward the hou, with the com- mingled blood of the brave Englishman, the vengeful Fn;nchman and the merciless savage. We can repose calmly under the protecting wing of fBACK. AVar's dire alarms are not sounded in our ears. We can pur^ sue our avocations by day, and lie peacefully down at niglit, " none dar- ing to make us afraid. While gratitude glows within on"' breasts for this priceless blessing, let our earnest prayer still ascend—" Give peace in our time, O Lord !" We might gi-eatly extend remarks upon this branch of our subject, but having already fully occupied the limits proposed we must leave a wide blank for the reader's imagination to fdl. This he can easily do, as the history of the past and a picture of the present is before him. Having a country possessing advantages and blessings so many and so great, let us labour each in his or her own sphere, with dilli-rencte and r.ea.1 based upon intelligence ; and while we labour let us hope and pray that, as the wheels of time revolve, they may bring to us p(;!ice, prosper- ity and happiness. CHAPTER X . THE PROBABLE FUTURE. *' Then blest Acadia ! ever may thy name, Like hers, [Britain's,] bo graven on the rolls of fame; May all thy sons, like hers, be brave and free, Possessors of her laws and liberty; Heirs of her splendour, loienco, pow'r and skill, And through succeeding years her children still. Then as the sun. with gentle dawning ray, From night's dull bosom wakes and leads the day, His course majestic keeps, till in the height He glows one blaze of pure oxhaustless light, So may thy years increase, thy glories rise, To be the wonder of the western skies; And bliss and peace encircle all thy shore, Till sun and moon and stars shall be no more." ~— Goldsmith. Having occupied more space than was intended, in the previous por- tions of this volume, the reader must be content with a « glance" indeed, Ht the probable future. First, let it be stated, that as several roads, all leading to a common goal are often found to converge into one, ere that goal is reached, so these western possessions of the British crown are evidently on the eve