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Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols -^ signifie "A SUiVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre filmds d des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est film6 d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche A drolte, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 F.I U'V'/'t; /jX^fit* I IPIir ?"foT^ Sebaltian,\vho afterwards proceeded in the dli'coveries which his fiither had begun. In June he difcovered Bonavilla, on the north eall Tide of Newfoundland. Before his return he traverfed the coall from Davis's limits to Cape Florida. In fpring 1 5 13, John Ponce failed from Porto Rico northerly, and difcovered the continent in 30'=' 8' nortli" latitude. He landed in April, a feafon when the country around was covered with verdure, and in full bloom. This citcumllance induced him to call the country rLoarnA, which, for many years, was the common name for North and South America. In 11J16, i:nr Scbaftian^ Gabot and Sir Thomas Pert explored the coaft as far as Brazil in Soutii America. Tliis vail extent of country, the coaft of which was thus explored, remained unclaimed and unfcttled by any European power (except by the Spaniards in South America), for almoil: a century from the time of its difcovery. It was not till the year 1524 that France attempted difcoveries oit the American coaih Stimulated by his enterprizing neighbours, Francis I. %vho poITcfled a great and aftive mind, fent John Varrazano, a Flo- rentine, to America, for the purpofe of making difcoveries. He tra- verfed the coaft from latitude 28^ to 50® north. In a feoohd voyage, fome time after, he was loft. The next year Stephen Gomez, the firft Spaniard who came upoti the American coaft for difcovery, failed from Groyn in Spain, to Cuba and Florida, thence northward to Cape Razo or Race, in la- titude 46'' north, in fearch of a northern paffage to the Eaft Indies. In 1528, P'amphilo de Narvaez, in the fervice of Spain, failed from Cuba with 400 men to conquer Florida j but he was wrecked on the coaft by a tempeft, and his purpofe defeated. In 1534, by the direAion of Francis!, a fleet was fitted out at St. Malo's in Frhn^cc, under thfc command of Jamts Cartier, or Quartier, with defign to make difcoveries in America. He arrived at New- fomidland in May of this year. Thence he failed northerly, until he found himfelf in about latitude 48** 30' north, h\ the midft of a broad gulf, which he named St. Lawrence. He gave the fame name to the river which empties itfelf into it. In this voyage, he failed as far north as latitude 51^, expefting, in vain, to find' a paiTage to China. The next year he failed up the river St. Lawrence 300 lea:gues, to the Great and Swix't Fall. He called the country New France •, built ft fort near the weft end of the Ifte of Orleans, which he called Port de St. Croix, in which he fpent the winter, and returned in the fol- lowing fpring to France. In May 1539, Ferdinand de Soto, w'ith a confiderable force, failed from Cuba, having for his object the conqueft of Florida. He arrived at Spirito Santo, from whence he travelled northward to Chickafaw country, in about latitude 35^ or ^6^^. He died, after having fpent a few years in that country, and was buried on the bank of the MilFifippi River, in 1 942. Alverdo fucceeded him. In 1540, Cartier made a third voyage to Canada, built a fort, ancf bek'an a fettlement in i?4i or li;42, which he called Charlebourg^ :$ rived "1 ith hi/foif which his north ealt :oall from northerly, landed in 1 verdure, le country for North lored the explored, ;xcept by X the time )veries on rs, Francis \o, a Flo- He tra- d voyage, ;ame upoti Spain, to ce, In la- Indies. iiled from Led on the out at St. Quartier, at New- , until he of a broad ime to the led as far China, sftgues, to lite •, built ailed Port in the fol- irce, failed "le arrived Chickafaw ing fpent a : Milfilippi 1 fort, and arlebour^ or NORTH AMERICA. 3 four leagues above Port de St. Croix. He foon after broke up thr Icttlemcnt and failed to Newfoundland. In 1542, Francis la Roche, Lord Robcwell, or Roherval, was fent 40 Canada by the French king, with three fiiips and about two hun dred men, women and children. They wintered here in a fort which they had built, and returned in the fpring. About the year 1550, h jUrge number of adventurers fiilcd for Canada, but were never after heard of. In 1598, the king of France commilfioned the Marquis de la Roche to conquer Canada, and other countries not poffeffed by any Chriftian Prince. It is not afcertained, hpwever, that La Roche eve^ ;d to execute his commlflion, or that any further atterapt.« ittem were made to fettle Canada during this century. During the fucceeding 30 years, the paflion for difcovery took ano ther diredion. Adventurers from Europe were feeking a paffage to India and China by the N. E. but were prevented from accompliihing their views by the cold and ice of t4iofe inhofpitable regions. In this interval, the French of Brittany, the Spaniards of Bifcay, and the Portugviefe, enjoyed the fifhery on the banks of Newfoudland with- out interruption. In 1548, King Edward VI. granted a penfion for life to Sebaftian Cabot, in conlideration of the many Important difcoveries he had made in America. Very refpeftable defcendants of the Cabot family now live In the Commonwealth of Maffachufetts. ' In 1562, the Adrair-I of Frapce, Chatilloh, font out a fleet under the command of Capt. Ribalt, to Florida, near which, In the month of May^ he difcovered and entered a river which he called May Rivet. It h pro- bable that this river is the fame which we now call St. Mary's, which forms a part of the fouthern boundary of the United States. As he coafted northward he dtfcovered eight other rivers, one of which he called Port Royal, and failed up it T^veral leagues. On one of the rivers h€ fcuilt a fort and called It Cha, s, in which he left a colony under the direftlon of Captain Albert, ."he feverity of Albert's meafures ex- cited a mutiny, In which, to the ruin of the colony, he was flain. •Two years after, Chattillon fent Rene Laudonier with three fliips to Florida. In June he arrived at the river May, -on which he buiit a fort, and in honour to his king, Charles IX. he called it Carolina. In Auguft, Tame year, Capt. Ribalt arrived at Florida the fecond time, with a fleet of feven vefl'els, to recruit the colony, which, two years before, he had left under the dlreftion of the unfortunate Capt." Albert. The September following, -Pedro Melandes, -with fix Spanifli (hips, purfued Ribalt up the river on w^hich he had fettled, and overpower- ing him In numbers, cruelly maffacred him and" his whole company, Melandes having in this way taken poflelfion of the country, built three forts, and left them ftrongly garrifoned. Laiidohier and liIs co- lony on May River, receiving information of the fate of Ribalt, took the alarm and made their efcape. In 1567 a fleet of three (hips was fent from France to Florida, un- .der the command of Dominique de Gourges. The objeft of this ex-* pcdition was, to dlfpoffefs the Spaniards of that part of Florida which thev had cruelly and uniuftlfiably fcized three years before, Hf rived on the coail of iploxida iu April 1568, and foon softer mjide ■ ^X^" ' Bli ar- ... "1 n f DISCOVERY AND SETTLKMENT fuccefsful attack upon the forts. The recent cruelty of Melandes and his company excited revenge in the breaft of Gourges, and roufed the unjuflifiabje principle of retaliation. Ke took the forts j put moft of the Spaniards to the fword \ and having burned and demoliilied all their fortrefles, returnea to France. During the fifty years next after this fcvent, the French enterpj^ifed no fettlements in AiTj,erica. All attempts to difcover a N. E. paflag^ to India bei^ig fruftrated, or in a manner abandoned, Capt. Frob'.iher was in 1567 lent to find out a N. W. paffage to that country. The firtt land which he randc ^^n the cor.ft wis a cape, which, in honour to the queen, he called Queen Elizabeth's Forelar'i. In coailing northerly he difcnvered the jftraits which bear his name, and which are now confidered as impaf- fable by reafon of fixed ice. He profecuted his fearch for a pnffage in- to the weilern ocean, till he was prevented by the Ice, and then re- turned tq England. The x^vo following years he made a fecond and ^hir4 voyage, but made no material difcovery. Sir Francis Drake, being on a cruife againft \he Spaniards ?.n the South Sea, landed on the continent of America, northward of Cali- fornia, took poffeflion of a harbour, and called the circumjacent coun- try betweftft lat. 38® and 42^, New Albion, which name it has ever iicce retained. in 1579 Sir Huniphry Gilbert obtained a patent from Queen Eliza- beth, for lands not yet poffefled by any Chriftlan prince, providf^d he •wrould take poffeffion within fix years. With this encouragerr.ent he tiled to Newfoundland, and in Auguft 1583 anchor«d in Conception ay. He tock formal poffelHon of the Continent of North America for the crown of England. In purluing his difcoveries he loft one of his (hips on the Ihoals of Sable, and on his return home, a slorm over- took hiia, in which he was unfortunately loft, and the intended fettle- 9ient was prevented. In 1 584 other two patents were gratnted by Queen Elizabeth, one to Adrian Gilbert, the other to Sir Walter Raleigh, for lands not pofTefled by any Chriftian prince. By the direftion of Sir Walter, two fhlps were fitted and fent out under the command of Philip Amidas and Arthur Barlow, with a number <•£ paffengers, who arrived on thf coaft, a,nd anchored in a. harbour {even leagues weft of the Koanoke. This colony returned to England with, Sir Francis Drake, in June 4586. In July, they, in a formal manner, took poffeflion of the coun- try, and, in honour of their virgin queen, Elizabeth, they called it Virginia. Till this time the country was known by the generiil name 01 Florida. After this Virginia became the comman name for all Nortli America. In 1586 Sir Walter Raleigh fent Sir Richard Grenvilk to America, with fev«n (hips, who arrived it Wococon harbour. Having ftationed a colony of rq.oi-e than an hundred people at Roanoke, under the di- reftion of Capt. Ralph Lane, he coafted north-eafterly as far as Chc- fapeak Bay, and returned to England. The colony under Capt. Lane endured extreme hardflilps, and niu(l tave perished, had not Sir Francis Drake fortuitately returned to Vir- ginia, and carried them to Erfigland, after having made fereral coh- , James I. by patent, divided Virginia into two colonies. The Southern, included all lands between the 34th and 41ft degrees •of north latitude. This was ftyled the Firll Colony, under the name «f South Virginia, and was granted to tlie London Company. The Northern, called the Second Colony, and known by the general name cif North Virginia, included all lands between the 38th and 45th de- grees north latitude, and was granted to the Plymouth Company. Each of thefe colonies had a council to govern them. To prevent dif- ^utes about territory, the colony which (hould lall place themfelves -was prohibited to plant within a limited number of miles.of the other. There appears to have been an inconfiftency in thefe grants, as the lands lying between the ^Sth and 41ft degrees are covered bji;both par ■tents. After ipany frultlefs attempts on the part of thefe two companies *o eftabiifli themfelves on the coaft, the South Virginia, or London Company, in the year 1640, fealed a patent to Lord de la War, con- •Situting him Governor and Captain General of South Virginia. He ibon after embarked for that country with Captain Argall, and about two hundred men, in three (hips, and in. the month of June arrived at James's Town, (b called by fome of the former fetrtlers in honour of James I. Froin this period we may date the firft permanent fettleraent hy BrItorNj in North America. In 1611, Sir Thomas D.de reinforced the colony of South Virginia •with about three hundred people, and Sir Thomas Gates with a con- £derable number more, furmdilng them with cattle and fwine. As-tarly as the year 1607, or 1608, Henry Hudfon, an Engllfh- jndin, under a commiffion from King James, in the employ of the Fail india company, made feverai voyages for the difcovery of a north welt palTage to the £all Indies. In 1609, upon fome milunderftandlng, he engaged in the Dutch i'crvice, in the profecution of the fame delign, and on his return ranged along the lea coaft of what has fince been called Neiv England (which, a few years before, was granted by King James to his EngJIlh-fubje£ts,'the Plymouth Company), and en- tered Hudfon 's river, giving it his own na^e. He afcended this river in his boat as far as what has fmce been called Aurania, or Albany. In 1613, the Dutch Weft India Company fent fome pcrfons to this liver to trade with the Indians j and as early as 1623, the Dutch had c trading houfe on Connedicut river. In confequence 'of thefe difco- veries and fettlements, the Dutch claimed all the country extending from Cape Cod to Cape Henlopen along the fea coaft, and as far back into the countrY as any of the rivers within thofe limits extendi But their claim has been djfputeel. This extenlive country the Dutch •'# ofVi "m A\ 'W the n 1 Whe or NORTH AMERICA. H in favour the 46th Qcxt year JTC difco- 1 a large ed to be I) him tg ^rdinand* colonies, i degrees the name ly. The :ral name 45th de- Company, event dii- lemfelves ;he other. s, as the ; both par :ompanIes • London i^ar, con- nia. He nd about rrivcd at lionour o£ ettleraent I Virginia ;h a con- e. Englifh- ■ the Eaft lorth weft nding, he e delign, nee been anted by 1, and en- this river Albany. IS to .this lutch had efe difco- ;xtending far back nd. But ,e Dutch ;^i ■fii " &' ■I cdiedKcw Netherlands, and in 16 14 the S^at" General g^^^^^^^^^ t,atent to fundry merchants for an exclufive trade on Hudlon s nver, rhtthe fame year, built a fort on the weft fide near Albany. From, this time we may date the fettlement of New York. Conception Bay, on the Ifland of Newfoundland, was fettled m tl ^ year i6io, by about forty planters, under Governor John Guy, to whom King James had given a patent c incorporation. ^ Champlain, aFrenchman, had begun a fettlement at Quebec m 608^ St. Croix. Mount Manfel, and Port Royal were fettled about th^ fame time. Tkefe fettlements remained undifturbed till 1613, when the Virginians, hearing that the French had fettled within their hmits, fent Capt. Argal to diflodge them. For this purpofe he failed to bag- adahok, took their forts at Mount Manfel, St. Croix and Port Royal, v^ith their veffels, ordnance, cattle and provifions, and carried them to lames' Town- in Virginia. Quebec was left in poffelTion of the Fr£nch. In 1614, Capt. John Smith, with tvvoihips and forty-five men aud boys, made a voyage to North Virginia, to make experiments upon a jrold and copper mine. His orders were, to filh and trade with thct natives, if he (hould fail in his expeftations with regard to the mine. To facilitate this bufinefs, he took with him Tantum, an Indian, per- haps one that Capt. Weymouth carried to England m 1005. In April he reached the ifland Monanigan in lat. 43* 30'. Here Capt. Smith was diretled to ftay and keep poffeffion with a few tnen, for the pur- pofe of making a trial of the whaUng bufinefs •, but bemg difappointed in this, he built and manned feven boats, which made a very fuccdsiul. voyage. In thcr mean time the Captain himfelf, with about eight men, coafted from Penobfcot to Sagadaliok, Acocifco, Paffataquack, Tra- gabizanda, now called Cape Ann, thence to Acomac, where he fkir- mifhed with fome Indians •, thence to Cape Cod, where he fet his In- dian, Tantum, afliore, and returned to Monahigan. In this voyage he found two French (hips in the Bay of Maffachuletts, who had lome time before, and during that period, been trading very advantageoufiy v.ith the Indians. It was conieaured that there were, at this time, three thouHind Indians upon the Maflachufetts Ifland. Capt. Smith embarked for England in one of the velTels, leaving the other under the command of Capt. Tiiomas Hunt, to equip for a voyage to Spain. After Capt. Smith's departure. Hunt perfidioufly allured twenty Indians to come on board his Ihip at Patuxit, and fevea more at Naufit, and carried them to the ifland of Malaga, where he fold them to be flaves for life. This conduft, which fixes an indeli- ble ftigma upon the character of Hunt, very juftly excited in the breafts of the Indians fuch an inveterate hatred of the Englifli, that, for many years after, all commercial intercouife with them, was rea- dered exceedinly dangerous. Capt. Smith arrived in London the laft oi \uguft, where he drew a map of the country, and called it New England. From this tim« North Virginia aflumed the name of New England, and the name of Virginia was confined to the fouthern colony. iVbout this time war, famine and peftilence, began to rage among the natives of New England, and fwept off great numbers of them. When Thomas Dermer arrived there in 1619, he found many places, .1. m r,,i\ iil ll DISCOVIRT AND SJStTLEMENT before populous, almoft defolate, and the few remaining inhabitants either fick or but fcarcely recovered. In 1627, a colony of Swedes and Finns came over and landed at Cape Henlopen, and afterwards purchafcd of the Indians the land from Cape Henlopen to the Falls of Delaware, on both fides of the river which they called New Swcdeland Stream. On this rivet they built feveral forts, and made fettlements. About 1633, in confequence of the rigour of the laws of England againft the Roman Catholics, Lord Baltimore, with a number of his pcrfecuted brethren, came over, and in honour of Queen Henrietta Maria, called the place in which they fettled Maryland. In 1635, Rhode Ifland was firft fettled in confequence of a religious perfecution. Mr. Roger WiUiams, happening to difler with fome of his brethren in fentiment, was very unjuilifiably baniflied the colony, and went with twelve others, his adherents, and fettled at Providence. From this beginning arofe the colony, now ftate^ of Rhode Island. In 1663, Charles II. granted to the Duke of York, what is now called New Jersey, then a part of a large traft of country known by the name of New Netherland. Some parts of New Jerfey were fettled by the Dutch as early as 1614 or 1616. In the year 1662, Charles IL alfo granted to EdWard, Earl of Cla^ rendon, and feven others, almoft the whole territory of the three fou'- thern ftates, North and South Carolina and Georgiai Two years •ftcr he granted a fecond charter, enlarging their boundaries. The proprietors, by virtue of authority vefted in them by their charter, engaged Mr. Locke to frame a fyllem of laws for the government of their interded colony. Notwithftanding thefe preparations, no effec- tual fettlement was made until the yeaj 1669 (though one had been formerly attempted), when Governor Sayle came over with a colony, and fixed on a neck of land between Afhley and Cooper Rivers. Thus commenced the fettlement of Carolina, which then included the whole territory between the 29* and 36*^ 30' north lat. together with the Bahama llland, lying between lat. 22* and 27° north. In 168 1 a rdynl charter for Pennfylvftnia was granted to William Penn. A colony came over next year and fettled under that gertle- man, who continued to aft as governor for a few years. The firll affembly in the Province of Pennfylvania was held at Chcllcr in 1782. Thus, the immortal William Penn, a Quaker, juftly celebrated as a great and good man, had the honour of laying the foundation of the prefent populous and very flourilhing State of Pesnstlvania. In 1732, a projeft having been icmed for planting and rearing a colony between the rivers Savannah and Alatamaba, application was accordingly made to George II. who approved, encouraged, and pro- moted the plan lb highly, that in compliment to him, they called the new province Georgia. Truftces were appointed to conduft the ne- ceffary arrangements. Same year a very confiderable number of pco'- pie embarked for Georgia, where they arrived, and landed at Yama- crew. In exploring the country, they found an elevated and pkafant fpot of ground on the bank of a navigable river, upon which tliey marked out a town, and, from the Indian name of the river which pai' fed by it, called it Savannah. From this period we may date the fet- tlement of Georgia. -i ret habitants landed at the land :9 of the iver they England ler of his ienrictta religious 1 fome of : colony, evidence. SLAND. at is now m by the ettled by rl of Cla^ liree fou»- wo years cs. The ■ charter, nment of no effec- had been a colony, r Rivers, included together th. I William t gertle- The firll • in 1782. ated as a )n of the rearing a ation was and pro- railed the ft the ne- r of pco'- at Yama- i pkafant hich they rhich pai* :c the fet- OF NORTH AMERICA. i^ Ihc country now called Kentucky, was ^vell known to tlie Indian iradt.rs manv years before its I ttlenient. They gave a deicription of It to Lculs Evans, who publil d his firft inap of it as early as thv- year 17 ^2. Jan\es Macbride, th fome others, explored this, country in 1754! Col. l5aniel Boon a.iO villted it in 1769. Four years after, Col. Boon and iiis family, with fome other fan:!- lies, who were joined by a i^w men from Powel's valley, began tlie Ictti'ment of Kentuckv, wliicli is now one of the molt growing colo- nies, perhaps, in the world ; and was ereded into an independent Itate; by act of Cfongrefs, in December 1790, and received into the Union in June 1792. The tra6t of country called Vermont; was once claimed both by NeAV-Vork and New-Hamplbire. When hoililities commenced be- tween Great-Britain and her Colonies, the inhabitants confiderlni;- themfelves as in a ilate of nature, as to civil government, and not within any legal iurifclltlion, aflbciated and formed for tliemfelves a coai^litution of government. Under this coniHtution, they have coati- f irued to exercife all the powers of 5n independent rtate. Vermont ^ra3 not admitted Into linldn v.-Ilh the other itates till 1791 ; vet it m-y be ventured to date her political exiftencc, as a feparate government., from the year 1777, becaufe, lince that tirrie, Vermont hai, to all ir- tcuts and purpofes, been a iovcrcign and independent State. The firlt fcttlemcnt in this Itate was made at Bennington as early as 1764, or thereabouts. ^^OKTH AMERICA Comprehends all that part of the rvellern continent which lies north of the ilthmus of Darien, extending north and fouth frotn about the loth deg. north lat. to the north pole ; and ealt and welt from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, between the 35th and i68th degrees of weft long, from Greenwich. Beyond the 7Cth degree north lat. few difcoverles have been made. In juiy 1779, Gapt. Cook proceeded as :* !!• as lat. 71'', when he c^me to a folid body of ice extending from C(jntinent to continent. Division 01- North America. — This vaft track of country is bound- ed weft by the Pac'fic Ocean, fouth and eaft by Callforuio, New Mexico and Loulfiana, tin; United States, Canada and the Atlantic ^r?an-, and, cytenuing as far north as tli^ couufy is habitable, a few l-JritKh, French, and fome other Earojiean feti'.\ tats excepted, i-; ])(;opled wholly by various nations and tribes of Indians. The Indians alfo poffefs large trads of country within the Spanifh America, and (■iritilli dominions. Thofe parts of North America, not inhabited by J'ldians, including Greenland, belong to Denmark, Great Britain, the American States, and Spain. Spain claims Eaft and Weft Florida, and all weft of the MiniUpi, and fouth of the northern boHndaiies of I.ouifiana, New Mexico and California. Great Britain claims all the Cf.untry inhabited by Europeans, lying north and eaft, of the United States, except Greenland, which belongs to Denmark. North Ame- rica contains the United States, Weft Greenland, Britifh America, •-ind part of Spanilh America, inclviding the foUovnng States and Pro- vinces. . C m ^•?? H ■ I :i;i il { : i| 11 ^ ^4 Countries, Provinces and States. Weft Greenland New Britain Upper Canada Lower Canada Newfoundland Cape Breton I. New Brunfwick. Nov'a Scotia J St. John's Ifl. ]' DIVISIONS OF NORTH AMERICA. Chief Towns, } Vermont Newhampfliire Maflachufetts Diftria of Maine Rhode Illand Connecticut New York New Jerfey PennfylvanicU Delaware Maryland Virginia Kentucky' North Carolina South Carolina Georgia } TABLE. Number of Irhabitants. Belonging to Denmark. 10,000 New Herrnhut BRITISH rROVINCES. unknown 20,000 Kingfton, Detroit, Niagara 130,000 Quebtc, Montreal 7,000 Placentia, St. John's 1,000 Sidney, Loulfburg ^ ^^^ Frederlcktown 35'°^° Halifax 5,000 Charlottetown OF AMERICA. Windlbr, Rutland Portfmouth, Concord Bofton, Salem, Newbury Port Portland, Hallo^vell, Pownalb. Newport, Providence in 1783 UNITED STATES 85^539 141,885 378,787 96,540 68,825 237,94^5 340,120 New Haven, Hartford New York, Albany 184,139 Trenton, Burlington, Brunfwick 434»373 Philadelphia, Lancaller 59,094 Dover, Wilmington, Newcaftle 319,728 Annapolis, Baltimore 747,610 Richmond, Peterlb. Norfolk 73,677 Lexington 393»75i Newbern, Edenton, Halifax Charlefton, Columbia Savannah, Augufta Knoxvllle, Naihvllle, Greavillc Marietta 249*073 82,548 Territory S. of Ohio* 35,691 Territory N. W. of Ohio SPANISH PROVINCES. Eaft Florida Aiiguftlne Weft Florida Peniacola Loulfiana New Orleans New Mexico St. Fee California St. Juan / Mexico, or New Spain Mexico Baffin's Bay, lying between the 70th and 80th degrees north lat. is the largeft and moft northern th'at has yet been dikovered In North America. It opens into the Atlantic ocean tlirough Baffin's and Davis's Straits, between Cape Chldley, on the Labradr.r coaft, and Cape Farewell. It communicates with Hudfon's Bay .0 the foutii, through a clufter of Illands. In tlils capacious bay or gulph, is James' Ifl and, the fouth point of which is called Cape Bedford j and the fmaHer iflands of Waygate and Difko. Davis's Straits feparate Green- land from the American continent, and are between Cape Walfuig- * The above number ?f inhabitanu arc accurately calculated down to the' pfcfet Ipctiod. '^ 1- ■^n |»am, c Ini ^ismm BIVISIONS or NORTH AMERICA. it, Niagara al ihn's ■g d cord Vewbury Port veil, Pownalb. lencc rtford iny ton, Brunfwick ncarter on, Newcaftle nacre rib. Norfolk on, Halifax mbia fta .'IJle, Grenvillc ees north lat. n ivered In North . ,h Baffin's and idor coaft, and ' lo the fouth, rulph, is James' Iford j and the feparate Green-' Cape Walfuig- • iiv'n to the prcfsE: galled Cape Farewell. ^ ^ i j-r j Hudfon's Bay took, its name from Henry Hudfon, who dilcovered it in 1610. It lies between ^i and 69 degrees of north lat. The «aitern bomidery of the Bay is Terra de Labrador ; the northern part lias a llraight coaft facing the bay, giiarded with a line of iiles innu- merable. A vaft bay, called the Archiwiimipy bea, lies within it, and opens into Hudfon's bay, by means of gul]ih Hazard, through which the Beluga whales pafs 'in great numbers. 1 be entrance of the Bay, from the Atlantic ocean, after leaving, to th^ north, Cape Farewell and Davis's Straits, is between Refolutici hies on the north, Und Button's Ifles, on the Labrador coaft, to the fouth, forming the •^aftern extremity of Hudfon's Straits. " The coafts are very high, rocky and rugged at top j in fome places Wery rteep, but fometimes exhibit extenfive beaches. The iflanUs of Saliibury, Nottingham and Ivigges, are very lofiy and naked. The •depth of water in the middle of the Bay is about 140 fathoms. PVom iCape Churchill to the fouth end of the bay, are regular foundings j ^ear the ftiore, Ihallow, with muddy or fandy bottom. To the north- ^'ard of Churchill, the foundings are irregular, the bottom rocky, and %n fome parts the rocks appear above the furlace at low water. James' Bay lies at the bottom, or mort fouthera part of Hudfon's Bay, with which it communicates, and divides New Britain from South Wales. To the northweftward of Hudfon's nay Is an extenlive ;jth?.in of lakes, among which Menlchlick, Lat. 61°, long. 105'' W. •North of this, is Lake Dobount, to the northward of wluch lies the !jtxtenfive country of the northern Indians. Weft of thele lakes, be- ■iween the latitudes of 60 and 66 degrees, after palfnig a large clufter '•f unnamed lakes, lies the lake or fea Arathapefcow, whofe fouthern ihores ai;e inhabited by the Arathapefcow Indians. North of this, and 'Iftear the Arftic circle, is Lake Edlande, around wliich live the Dog- #ibbed Indians. Further north, is Buffalo Lake, near v.liich, is Copper Mine River, In lat. 72** N. and long. 119* W. of Greenwich. nhe Copper Mine Indians inhabit this country. I Between Copper Mine River, which is faid to empty into the Nor- liheru fea, where the tide rifes 12 or 14 feet, and which in its \\holc "Courfe is encumbered with ftioals and falls, and the north-weft coalV of ^orth America, is an extenfive traft of unexplored country. Defcending 'from north to fouth on the wertern coaft of America, jurt fouth of the ; Ardlc circle^ Cape Prince of Wales, oppofite Eaft Cape on the eaft- ■%rn continent, appears; and here the two continents appioach nearefl. ;to each other. Proceeding fouthward, are Norton Sound, Cape Ste- ^yhen's, Shoalnefs, Briftol Bay, Prince William's Sound, Cook's '_ River, Admiralty Bay, and Port Mulgrave, Nootka Sound, &c. From, Nootka Sound proceeding fouth. is the unexplored country of • New Albion, thence to Californio aijd New Mexico. I ' i il IJ I w I i6 NEW BRITAIK. BRITISH AMERICA. i^"> SIVUATJON AND EXTENT. Under the f^fnerd name of Britifh America, vvc comprehend the vy4 extent of country, bound jcl foiith, by the United States of Amrrica and the Atlantic ocean ; call, b\ the fame ocean and Davis's Straits, \vhich divide it from Greenland, extending north to the northern 11- mits of the Hudfo'i's bay charter j and weftward indefinitely -Lyinir lictween 42*^30' and 'jo^ north latitude ; and between 50^ and 96^ W. Ion. from Greenwich. DivisioNs. -Britini America is divided into four Provinces, viz. Upper Canada ', Lower Canada, to which are annexed New Eriiain, or the country lying round Hudfon's Bay, and the Ilknd of Cape Bre- ton, which in 1784 was formed into a feparate government by the name of Svdney ; New Erunfwick j Nova Scotia, to which is annex- ed the Jll'and of St. John's. Befides thel'e, there is tlie llland of Newibundland. The number of people in the whole of the northern Britidi colonies is perhaps 160,000 or i8o,oOo. New Britain, or the country lying round Hudfon's Bay, and com, monly called the country of the Elquimaux, comprehending Labrador, New Nortn and South Wales, has obtained the general name oF New Britain, and is attached to the government of Lower Canada. It is bounded by unknown lands and frozen feas, about the Pole, on the 3iortli j by the Atlantic ocean on the eaft ; by the bay and river of St. Lawrence, and Canada, ou tlie iLuth •, and by unknown lands en tlic ^\ti\. Its length is computed to be about 8 50 miles, and 750 broaci. McuNTAfNS. In this country, towards the north, are very lofty mountains, which are perpetually covered with fnow j and the winds, blowing from thence generriUy three quarters of the year, occafion fuch a degree of cold in the winter over all North America, that the like is not experienced in any o;her, part of the world in the fame lati- tude. Rivers.— The principal rivers which water this country, are the Wager, Monk, Seal, Pockcrckelko, Churchill, Nelfon, Hayes, New Severn, Albany and Moofe rivers, all which empty into Hudfon's and James' Bay from the \v'jft. The miouths of all chefc rivers are fdled with ilioals, except Churchill's, in ^vhich the largell Ihips may lie; but ten miles higher, the channel is obftrufted by fand banks. All the rivers, as far as they hf-ve been explored, are full of rapids and ca- tarafts, many fathoms perpendicular. Down thefe rivers the Indian traders find a quick paffage ; hut their return is a labour of many montlis. This country is extremely barren, almoft palt the efforts of cultiva- tion. The furface is every where uneven, and covered with mallesot Itone of an amazing fize. It is a country of fruitlefs valleys and fright- ful mountains, fome of an allonilhing height. The valleys are full of lakes, formed not from fprings, but rain and fnow, fo chilly as to be produftive of a few fmall trout only. The mountains have here and theie a blighted (hrub, or a little mofs. The vallies are full of crook- ed, Hunted trees, pines, fir, birch and cedars, or rather a fpecics of the juniper. Every kind of European feed hitherto fown in tliis in- hofpitable climate has perilhed ; but it is thought that if the fe.:>.l of corn from the northern parts of Sweden and Nor^vay was introduced, IS, NEW BRITAIN. end the vaii of Amf rica vis's Straits,' northern 11- telv — Lvintr and96^"\V. avlnces, viz. .'c\v Britain, of Cape Bre- ment b}' the icli is annex- le Illand of :he northern ly, and com, ig- Labrador, lame cF New mada. It is Pole, on the 1 river of St. lands en the 1 750 broad. e very lofty d the winds, ear, occafion ica, that the he fame lati- ntry, are the Hayes, New Jiudfon's and iTS are filled ips may lie ; hanks. AU apids and ca- s the Indian nany montlis. •ts of cultivu- vith malles ot ysand fright- ys are full of chilly as to' bave here and full of crook- • a fpecics of m in tills in If the fo. .; of s introducL'ci, '7 it would be prodaaive, as a great deal depends upon the place uhere the feed comes from. In lat. 6o«, on this coart, vegetation ceales. The whole Ihore, like that on the weft, is laced with lilands at fome Uiilancc from land. . , . . .1 Inhabitants, C-'stoms, &c.~The inhabitants among the moun- fnins are Indians j along the coafts, Eiquimaux. In fonie refpeds they are very favage. In their (hapes and faces they diHer from the Ame- ricans who liv;e to the fouthward, and are much more like the Lap- landers, and thd Samoeids of Europe. They polTefs nunrierous herds oi" rein-deer, but never think of training them for the (ledge j they apply their dogs to that ufe, although in general of a very fmall itze. The laudable zeal of the Moravian clergy induced them, in the year 1752, to fend minionaries from Greenland to this country. They fix- ed on Nefhit's harbrur for their fettlement j but of the firft party, i'ome of them were killed, and the others driven away. Two years after, under the proteaion of the Britini Government, another at- tempt ivas made, which proved more fuccefsful. Climate.— The climate, even about Haye's river, in only lat. 57 , is, during winter, exceffively cold. The fnows begin to fall in Oao- ber, and continue falling by intervals the whole winter, and, when jthe froll ismoft rigorous, in form of the fineft fand. 'fhe ice on the river is eight feet thick. Port wine freezes into a folld mafs j brandy coagulate?. The very breath falls on the blankets of the beds in the form of a hoar froll, and the bed clothes are often found frozen to the wall. The fun rifes^ in the ftiortert day, five minutes paft nine, and fcts five minutes before three, in the longell day the fun rifes at three, and fets about nine. The ice begins to difappear in May, and hot weather commences about the middle of June, which at times is fo violent as to fcorch the faces of the hunters. Thunder is not frepuent, but very violent. But there muil be a great difference of heat and cold in this vaft extent, which reaches from lat. 50*^ 40' to lat. 6^ N. Durin"- winter the firmament Is not without its beauties. Mock funs, halos,'are not unfrequent •, they are very bright, and richly tinged with all the colours of the ralndow. The fun rifes and fets with a large cone of yellowifii light. The night is enlivened with the Aurora Bo- rcalls, which fpreads a thoufand different lights and colours over the whole concave of the Iky, not to be defaced even by the fplendor o£ the full moon ; and the liars are of a fiery rednels. Animals. — The animals of thefe countries are, the moofe deer, flags, rein deer, bears, tygers, buffalos, wolves, foxes, beavers, otters, lynxes, martins, fqulrrels,__ermlnes, wild cats, and hares. The fea- thered kinds are geefe, builards, ducks, growfej and all manner of wild fowls. Indeed multitudes of birds retire to this remote country, to Ladrador and Newfoundland, from places mo: motely fouth, per- haps from the Antilles •, and fome even of the moit delicate HttiJe fpe- .cies. Moft of them, with numbers of aquatic fowls, are feen return- ing fouthward with their young broods to more favourable climates. The favages in fome refpeas regulate their months by the appearance of birds •, and have their goofe month, from the vernal appearance of geefe fsom tht; fouth. All the growie kind, ravens, cinereous crows, titmoufe, and Lapland finch, brave the fevereft winter ; and feveral of ihe fiicons Aiiu owls fcok melier in the woods. Of fifii, there aie t 'I v: whalfs, morfc,<, feals, codfiflj, and a white fi(h, preferable to lieTrings j and in their rivers and trclh waters, pike, perch, carp, and trout. All the quadrupeds arc clothed with a clofe, foft, warm fur. In fummer there is, as in other places, a variety in the colours of the fe- veral anitnnls ; when that feaibn is over, which holds only for three montlis, they all «flunie the livery of winter, and every fort of hearts, and even th«ir fowls, an. -of the colour of the fnow ; every thing ani- mate and inanimate being )Xibjetl to this metamorphofis. What is a molt iurprirmg and remarkable phenomenon, and what indeed is one ©f the moii ftriklng things that draw the moft inattentive to an admi- ration of the wifdom and goodnefs of Providence, is, that the dogs and cats Irom Britain that have been carried into Hudfon's Bay, on the apprtvach of winter, have entirely ch-mged their appearance, and ac- tfuirtd a much longer, fofter, and thicker ccat of hair than they had originally. DmcovEKY AND GoMMERC'^.— The knowledge of thefe northern fea« and countries was owing to a projcft llarted in England for the dif- corcry of a north well paffage to China and the Kaft Indies, as early as the year 1576. Since then it has been frequently dropped and as often revived, but never yet completed ; and from the late voyages of dil"- coyery it fecms probable, that no pradicablc paflage ever can lie found. Frobi/her difcovered the Main of New Britain, or Terra de Labrador, iind thcie ftraits to which he has given his name. In i ^85, John Davis Jailed from Portfmouth, and viewed that and the more' northern coatts,' but nc leems never to have entered the bay. Hudfon made three voyages on the fame adventure, the firlt in 1607, ^^e fecond in 1608, mid his third and lalt in 1610. This bold and judicious navigator en- tered the Itraits that lead into the bay known by his name, coalled a pat pa« of rt, and penetrated eighty degrees and a half into the heart oi the frozen zone. His ardor for the difcovery not being abated fay the duhculties he ftruggled within this empire of winter, and world oi Iroft and fiiow, he liaid here until the enfuing Ipring, and prepared, ;a the begmnmg of i6ii, to purCue his difcoveries j but his crew, who iuitered equal hardHups, without the fame fpirit to fupport them, mu- tmied, leized upon him and feven of thofe who Were molt faithful tb lam and cwr-mitted them to the futy of the icy feas, in an open boat. ^laciloa and his compamons were either fwallowed up by the waves or, gaining the inhofpitable coaft, were deftroycd by the lavages ; thfc iu)^ and the reil of the men returned home. * Other attempt.-! towards a difcovery were made In i6j5* and 1667 ; and a patent tor planting the country, with a charter for the company, •J^vas obtained in the year 1670. In 1646 Captain Ellis wintered as iar north as 57 ciegrces and a half, and Captain Chriftopher attempted iarther diicoveries in 1661. But beiides thefe voyages, oTeat merit is to be attributed to the Hudfon's Bay Company for a journey by land, winch throvcs mucli additional light on this matter, by atFording what may be called demonltration, how much farther north, at lealt infomc parts ottneir voyage, ftiips mull go, before they can pafs from one lide ot America to the other. The northern Indians, who came dot^m to tlie company's factories to trade, had brought to their knowledge a nyer, which, on account of much conoer hp'twir found neof it had ob> tm^ ih^ name oixke Copper Mine River. ^The company bcin^d^x 1, mu- ■:ourfe north-eafl ; vralhes the illand of Montreal, which it emHofcms ; ii'i above which it receives Ottawas from the weft, and for rv* m.-my ortile illands. Continuing the fame courfe, it meets the tide upwards of 400 miles from the fea, and Is fa far navigable for large veifels. Having received in its courfe, be fides Ottawas, St. John's, Seguina, Defprau-es, Trois Rivieres, and innu- merable other fmaller ftreams, it falls into the ocean at Cape Rofieres, where it is about 90 miles broad, and where the cold is intenfe and the fea boifterous. In its courfe it forms a great variety of bays, har- bours and iflands, many :ofi'"them fruitful and extremely plea.ant. A river has lately been turveyed, from its eiitrance into the Bay of Kenty, near Cadaraqui, to its fources in Lake St. Clie •, from which tliere is an eafy and ftiort portage acrofs N. W. to the N. E. angle of Lake Huron ; and another that is neither long nor diflicult, To the fouthward, to the old fcttlemtnt of Toronto. This is u ihort route- from Fort Frontinac to Michiliimakkinak. CuMATE.—. Winter continues v-:th fuch feveritv from December t« ipril, UPPER AND LOWER CANADA. 21 Its to ap- lOndon, o' idclphia. T the fame ew Bruiif- Jew York rovince of :he Upper ititudes of river St. itario an<4 , betweerf lat. and !■? Vermont iiences at is, at the 'e until it the Lake Irawn due New Bri- tvvard and! ;ry know. rivers iif : outlet of : from the ifland of 3 Ottawas the fame and Is f© e, be fides and innu • RofiereK, tenfe and )ays, har- hnt. \\t Bay of am which . anjrle ot It, to the lort route :embcr t» i.pril, as that the largeft rivers are frozen over, arid the fnow lies kommonly from four to fix feet deep during the winter. But the air %{o fcrene and clear, and the inhabitants fa well defended againil the cold, that this feafon is neither unhealthy nor unpleafar :. The fprinj* •pens fuddenly, and vegetation is furprifmgly rapid. "he funimer is , delightful, except that a part of it is extremely hot. Soil and Produce.- Though the cliinate be cold, and the winter long and tedious, the foil is in general very good, and in many parts Jboth pleafan. dnd fertile, producing wheat, barley^ rye, with many Other forts of grainy fruits and vegetables } tobacco, in particular, thrives well^ and is much cultivated. The ille of Orleans, near Que- bec, and the lands upon the river St. Lawrence, :uid other rivers, kre iiemarkable for the richnefs of the foil. The meadow p-ounds iit Ca- iada, which a;:e well watered, yield excellent grafs, ai)d feed great numbers of great and (mall cattle. - Animals. — Of thefe it is intended to give a full defcription, under the head of the United States, as being a moil gratifying and enter- ^ laining branch of the Work, ajid which will at once furnifti the reader with a competent idea of the natural pr .duftions of that exteu- €ve quarter of the globe. — (See United States Animals.) Principal Towns.— Quebec is the capital, not only of Lower Ca- ada, but of all Britifti America,, and is fituated at the conHuence of he river St. Lawrence and St. Charles, or the Little River, about 20 miles from the fea. It is built on a rock, partly of marble and trartly of flate. The tbwn is divided into an upper and lower. The |ioufes are of ftone, and built in a tolerable manner. The fortitica- llons are ftfongj though not regular. It is covered with a regular and lieautiful citadel, in which the governor reiides. The number of in- habitants down to the prefent moment may be computed at 15 or iOjOOo; The river, which from the fea hither is four or five leagues road, naifuws all of a fudden to about a mile wide. The haven, which lies oppofite the town, is fafe and commodious, and is from 20 to 25 >j|ilthoms deep. , From Quebec to Montreal, which is about 170 miles, in failing up the river St. Lawrence, the eye is p'efented with beautiful landfcapes, he banks being in many places very bold and fteepj and (haded wiili fty trees. The farms lie pretty clofe all the way, feveral gentle- en's houfes, neatly built, (how thcmfelves at intervals, and there is 1 the appearance of a flouriftiing colony j but there are few towns or irillages. It is pretty much like the well fettled parts of Virginia and Maryland, where the planters are wholly within themfelves. Many beautiful iflands are interfperfed in the channel of the river, which fiave an an agreeable effect upon the eye. After pafling the Richelieu iflands, the air becomes fo mild and temperate, that the traveller thinks himfelf tranfported to another climate j but this is to be under- llood only in the fummer months. ^ The toAvn called Trois Riveres, is about half way between Quebec and Montreal. It is much reforted to by feveral nations of Indians, who by means of thefe rivers come hither and trade with the inhabit- [fertile in corn, fruit, &.c. and great numbers of handfome houfes Hand I on both fides the river. lilt i I li N r: 1 tl UPPER AND LOWER CANADA. Montreal ftands on an Ifiand in the river St. Lawrence, which is teit leagues in length and four in breath, at the foot of a mountain which gives name to it, about half a league from the fouth (here. While the French had poffeflion of Canada, both the city and ifland of JVIon- iit:ai belonged to private proprietors, who had improved them fo well, that the whole illand had become a moll delightful fpbt, and produced every thing tliat could adminirter to the convenience of life. The city forms an oblong fquare, divided by regular and well formed Itreets ; and when it fell into the hands af Britain the houfes were built in a very handfome manner ; and every houfe might be fecn at one view from the harbour, or from the fouthernmoil fide of the river, as the hill on the fide of which the town rtands falls gradually to the water. This place is furrounded with a wall and a dry ditch ; and its- fortifications have been much improved by the Britiih. Montreal is nearly as large ■'•? Quebecj containing about 600 houfes, which are in general built in an indifferent itile ; fince it has come into the poffef- (ion of Britain it has fuffered greatly by fires. The principal towns in Upper Canada are Kingfton, on Lake Onta- rio, formerly called Frontinack, and containing upwards of 100 houfes. In tliis town a garrifon is kept up of one company for the d'ifence oi the king's flores, where they are lodged as a place of depofit. Part of old Fort P>ontinack remains ; the belt pa!rt is the magazine. This town is 200 miles from Montreal, and 150 from Niagara. Niagara,, fituated between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie \ and Detroit, fituated on the wellern bank of Dedroit river, between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and nine miles belo^v Lake St. Clair. GovKRNMENT. • The legiilative council confifts of no fewer tha;n ieven members for Upper, and fifteen for Loner Canada, to be fum- moned by the governor, who muii be authorifed by the king. Such member^; are to hold their feats for life, unlefs forfeited by four years continual abfencc, or by Avearing allegiance to fome foreign powers. The houi'e of aflfembly is to confiil of not lei's than fixteen member? from Upper, and not lefs than fifty from Lower Canada, chofen by the freeholders in the feveral towns and diftrifts. The council and aflemhiy are to be called together at leaft once in every year, and every alTenibly is to continue four years, unlefs fooner diflolved by the governor. All quelllous are to be decided by a majority of votes of the members prci'cnt. The governor is authorifed to fix the time and place of holding the eledions ; to nx the times and places of holding the feiTions of the alTembly, and to prorogue and difiblve the fame whenever he fliall judge it nccelfary. The governor, together with fuch of the executive council as may be appointed, for the affairs of each province, are to be a court of civil jurifdidtion for hearing and determining appeals, fubjeiV however to fuch appeals from their judgment as heretofore exilled. Rritifla America is fuperintcndcd by an Officer ilyled governor ge- neral of the four Britiih provinces in North America, who, befides other pov.crs, is <;ommander in chief of all the Britiih troops in the four provinces and the governments attached to them, and Newfound- land. Each of the provinces has a lieutenant governor, who, in the abfcnce of the. governor general, has all the powers requifite to a chict ]X ■ fg'cs, a in ever be forn: as afor( every fi ed, wh J, conditi( A and tht '% diclion Tra in the ; the fan bifcuit, und otl amouni fes, CO ni'iei Urate, ISLAND OF NEWFOLXDLAND. o V ■^.3 ihich is te;r tain which e. While id of Mon- :m lb wel), i produced life. The dl formed lOufes were be feen at f the river, illy to the :h ; and its klontreal is hich are in the poffef- ■ake Onta- :bo houfes. d'ifence o| 3fit. Part ine. This Niagara^ t, fituated and LaivC' ewer than to be fum- ng. Such four years 1 powers. I member? chofen by ouncil and year, and 'ed by the f votes of : time and )F hplding the fame il as may I court of V however ;rernor ge- o, beiides )ps in the Jewfound- lio, in the to a chic^ /.r PoPULATroN.—Upper Canada, though an infant fettlement, is faid hy fome to contain about 30,000 inhabitants. Lower Canada con- . year 1497, and fettled by the French in 1608, who kept poffeiilon of it till 1760, when it was taken by the Britllh, and at the treaty of • Paris, in 1763, was ceded, by France, to the crown of Britain, to j<, which it has ever ftnce belonged. • , NEWFOUNDLx\ND iSLAND. Newfoundland is fituated on the eaft of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, between 46*^ 45', and 51^ 46' north lat. and between 52° 31', and 59*^ 40' weft l«jng. from Greenwich j feparated from Labrador, or New Britain, by the ftraits of Belleifle j and from Canada, by the Bay of St. Lawrence j being upwards of 380 miles long and from 4^ 1^ to about 50 miles broad. The coafts are extremely fubjed to fogs, / yttended with almoft continual florms of fnow and lleet, the fky being' , ,u ufually overcaft. From the foil of this illand the Britilh reap no great advantage, for the cold is long continued and i'evere j and the fummer heat, though violent, warms it not enough o produce any thing va- luable J for the foil, at leaft in thofe parts of the iiland which have. ^een explored, is rocky aud barren. Xivvvevcr, it is vvutcrcd by fcvc- I 5Sr«,'.# H ISLAND OF CAPE BRETON. w ! i:al good rivers, and has many large and good harbours. This ifland^ affords a large fupply of moft valuable wood. But what at prefent it' is ftill more valuable for, is the great fiQiery carried on upon thofe Ihoals, which are called the Banks of Newfoundland. Great Britain and the United States, at the lowed computation, annually employ 3000 fail of fniall craft in this fiihery ; on board of which, and on fhore to cure and pack the fiih, are upwards of 100,000 hands j fo that this fiihery is not only a very valuable branch of trade to the merchant, but a fource of livelihood to fo many thoufands of induftrious people, and a moft excellent nurfery to the navies of Britain and the United States. This fiihery is computed to increafe the national ftock of Bri- tain 300,0001. a year in gold and filver, remitted for the cod fold in the North, in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Levant. The plentifulnefs of cod, both on the greater and lefler banks, which lie to the eaft and fouth-eaft of this ifland, is inconceivable ; and not only cod, but feve- ral other fpecies of filh, are caught there in abundance j all of which are nearly in an equal plenty along the fliores of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New England, and the lite of Cape Breton j and very profit- able filheries are carried on upon all their coafts. ' This Ifland, after various difputes about the property, was ceded to Britain j but the French were left at liberty to dry their nets on the northern Ihores of it, and to fifli in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ; with i^his limitation, that they fhould not encroach upon the coafts belonging to Britain. The fmall iflands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, fituatedto the fouthward of NewfoundlandjWere ceded to the French, who ftipulat^ ed to ered no fortifications «ri them, nor to keep more than 50 foldiers to enforce the police. The chief towns in Newfoundland, are, Pjq- centia, Bonavifta, and St. John's j but not above 1000 families remain here in winter. A fmall fquadron of men of war are fent out every fpring to proteft the filheries and inhabitants, the admiral of which, for the time, is governor of the ifland, befides whom there are two lieutenants governor, one at Placentia, and the other at St. John's. SYDNEY, OR THE I5LAND of CAPE BRETON. Annexed to the Province of Lower Canada. The ifland, or rather coUeAion of iflands, called by the French Les Ifles de Madame, which lie fo contigious as that they are commonly called but one, and comprehended under the name of the Ifland o( Cape Breton, lies between lat. 45° 28' and 47*. N. and between 59*^ 44' and 61^ 29' W. long, from London, and about 45 leagues to the caftward of Halifax. It is about 109 miles in length, and from 20 to 84 in breath j and is feparated from Nova Scotia by a harrow ftrait, called the Gut of Canfo, which is the communication between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, ^ ' It is furrounded with many Iharp pointed rocks, feparated from each other by the waves, above which fome of their tops are vifible, and interfered with lakes and rivers. The great Brafs D'Or is a very ex- tenfive flieet of water, which forms into various branches, and opens an cafy communication with all parts of the ifland. All its harbours are open to the eaft, turning towards the fouth. On the other parts of the coaft there are but a few anchnringr places for fmall veffels, in creeks, or between iflets. The harbour of St. Peter!s, at the weft / 1 m ISLAND OF CAPE BRETON. 2.5 This ifland^ It prefent it' upon thofe rreat Britain lally employ lich, and on mds J fo that le merchant, ious people, i the United ftock of Bri- d fold in the plentifulnefs the eaft and jd, but feve- all of which dland, Nova I very profit- was ceded to r nets on the 'rence ; with fts belonging n, fituated to who ftipulat^ m 50 foldiers id, are, Ph- nilies remain It out every al of which, fere are two 3t. John's. ON. French Les ■e commonly the Ifland of Detween 59® agues to the d from 20 to jar row ft rait, between the :ed from each ! vifible, and is a very ex- and opens an harbours are (ther parts of ill veflels, in , at the weft r I- end, is is a very commodious place for carrying on the fishery. This ifland was once confidered as annexed to Nova Scotia, in refpeft to matters of government, till 1784, when it was ereded into a feparate government by the name of Sydney, Soil and PRODucTroNS.— There is a great proportion of arable land on this ifland •, and it abounds in timber and hard wood, fuch as pine, beach, birch, maple, fpruce, and fir. Population, Chief Towns, &c.— On this ifland there are about ;iooo inhabitants, who have a governor refident among them. Iflc Madame, which is an appendage to this government, is fettled for the mort part with French Acadians, about 80 families, whofe chief em- ployment is the fifliery at Aflimot, the principal harbour in this little ifland. The principal towns are Sydney, the capital, and Louilburg, which has the beft harbour in the ifland. This ifland may be confidered as the key to Canada, and the very valuable fifhery in its neighbourhood depends for its protedion on the pofleflion of it j as no nation can carry it on without fome convenient harbour of ftrength to fupply and proteft it, and LouIflx>urg is the principal one for thefe purpofes. Trade. — The peltry trade was ever a very inconfiderable objedV. It confifted only in the fkins of a few lynxes, elks, mufk-rats, wild cats, bears, otters, and foxes, both of a red, filver, and grey colour, iiome of thefe were procured from a colony of Micmac Indians, who had fettled on the ifland with the French, and never could raife more than 60 or 70 men able to bear arms. The reft came from St. John's or the neighbouring continent. Greater advantages are now derived from the coal mines, which are fituated near the entrance of tiie harbour, the working of which, and the fifliery, are the chief em- ployment and rtudy of the inhabitants. They lie in a horizontal di- reftion j and being not more than fix or eight feet below the furface, may be worked without digging deep, or draining off the waters. Notwithftanding the prodigious demand for this coal from New Eng- land, from the year 174J to 1749, thefe mines would probably have been forfaken, had not the fillips which were fent out to the French iflands wanted ballall. In 1743, while this ifland belonged to the French, they caught enormous quantities of mud-fifli, the value of which, including the oil drawn from the blubber, amounted to feveral thoufand pounds. In Ihort, the annual produce of that aftoniftiing trade, has been computed at no lefs than the fum of one million fterling. Charlevoix, in his hiC tory of France, fays, " This fifliery is a more valuable fource of Avealth to France, than even the mines of Peru and Mexico would be." At prefent the inhabitants of this ifland take about 30,000 quin- tals of fifli, annually, which are fliipped for Spain and the Straits, prin- cipally by merchants from Jerfey, in England, who yearly refort here, and keep ftores of fupplies for the fiftiermen. History. — Though fome fiftiermen had long reforted to this ifland, the French, who took poffeflion of it in 17 13, were properly the firit fetled inhabitants. They changed its name into that of Ifle Royale^ and fixed upon Fort Dauphin for their principal fettlement. This harbour was two leagues in circumference. The ftiips came to the very fliore, a .! were flieltered from the wind?. Forefts, affording oak ts NOVA SCOTIA, &C. ih I lit fufficient to fortify and build a large city, were near at hand ; the grvmnd appeared Icfs barren than in other parts, and the filhery was moie plentiful. This harbour might have been rendered impregnable at a trilling expence ; but the difficulty of approaching it (a circum- ftance that had at firll made a ftronger impreflion than the advantage^ refulting from it) occafioned it to be abandoned, after great 'abourhad been bellowed upon the undertaking. They then turned their views to Louilburg, the accefs to which w^as eafier j and convenience was thus preferred to fecurity : The fortification of Louifburg, however, was not be,gun till 1720. In 1714 fome filliermen, who till then had lived in Newfoundland, fettled in this illand- It was expefted that their number would foon have been increafed by the Acadians, who were at liberty, from the treaties that had been granted them, to remove with all their effe61s, and even to difpofc of their eitates ; but thefe hopes w-ere difappointed. The Acadians choofe rather to retain their poffeflions under the domi- nion of Britain, than to give them up for any precarious advantage they might derive from France. Their place was fupplied by fome diitreiied adventurers from Eurupe, who came over from time to time to Cape Breton j and the number of inhabitants gradually increafed. Ihey were fettled at Louilburg, Fort Dauphin, Port Touloufe, Neruka, and on all the coarts where they found a proper beach for drying the cod. This ifland remained in poflenion of the French till 1745, when i^ was captured, for the crown of Britain, by a body of troops from Nevv England, under the command of Lieutenant General VVilliam Pep- perell. NOVA SCOTIA. The Province of Nova Scotia, or New Scotland, was bounded, before th? late divifion was made, as follows : On the W. by a lirvC drawn from Cape Sables acrofs the entrance of the Bay of Fundy to the north of the river St. Croix j by the faid river to its fource •, and by a line drawn from thence to the {buthern boundary of the colony of •Quebec : to the northward, by the faid boundary as far as the wellern extremity of the Bay des Chaleur : To the ealiward, by the faid Bay and the Oulf of St. Lawrence, to the cape or promontory called Cape Breton, in the illand of that name, including that illand, the illand of St. John's, and all other illands within fix leagues of the fliores. This tiad has a fea coaft of 90 leagues on the fouth, upon the At- lantic Ocean, from Cape Canfo call, to Cape Sables weft. Miles. Extent amd Situation. Length 3177 ,3pt^,ee„ V43* 30' and 4«'' 4' N. lat. Breadth 2543 |^6r*' and 70^ E. Ion. from London. The traft bounded as above, and known by the general name of Nova Scotia, in 1784, was divided into feparate governments, viz. I. New Brunfwick, on the N. W. 2; Nova Scotia, on the S. E. 3. St. John's, on the N. 4. Sydney, or Cape Breton, on the N. E. al- jcady defcribed. PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK. Eot.'KDEr) weft, by the diftrid of Maine, from which it is feparated Canada line •, north, by the fouthern boundary of the province of Low- by t M ^Ji NOVA SCOTIA, &C. 27 ha e't danada, until it touches the fea fliore at the wcftem extremity of Chaleur Bay ; then following the various windings of the fea (hore to the Bay of Vert, in the ftraits of Northum'berknd j on the fouth-eaft it is divided from Nova Scotia by the feveral windings of the MifTi- quafli river, from its confluence with Beau Bafin to' its main fource \ and from thence by a due caft line to the Bay of Vert. The northern (hores of the Bay of Fundy conftitute the remainder of the fouthern boundary. Ail iilands included in the above limits belong to this province. Chief Towns. — The city of St. John's, the capital of this province, IS fituated on high rocky ground, at the mouth of the river St. John's. The ftreets are fpacious and regular. It contains about 1500 inhabi- tants, many of whom live in well built houfes. St. Anne's, the prefent feat of government, lies about 3o miles up this river. Fredericktown, formerly the feat of government, is a few miles a- hove St. Anne's, at the head of /loop navigation, St. Andrew's, fituated in the rear of an ifland of that name on the ♦aft fide of an arm-, called Scoodick, of the inner bay of Paflfama- 'juoddy, is very regularly lard out in the form of an oblong fquare. It has but few houfes, built on a fmall fcale. The few inhabitants It contains are chiefly employed in the lumber trade. Rivers, Soil, &.c, — St. John's is the principal river in this pro- vince. From its entrance into the Bay of Fundy, to its main fource, it is computed to be 350 miles. The tide flows from 80 to 90 miles up this river, and is navigable for many miles. Its general courfe from its fource is E. S. E. It is the common route to Quebec. It fumifh- es falmon, bafs, and fturgcon. About oite mile above the city of St. John's is the only entrance into this river. It is about 80 or 100 yards wide, and about 400 yards in length. This paflage is called the falls of the river. It being narrow, and a ridge of rocks running acrofs the bottom of the channel, on which are c t above 17 feet of water, it is not fulhcientJy fpacious to difcharge the frefli waters of the rivers above. The common tides flowing here about 20 feet, the w^aters of the river, at low water, arc about 12 feet higher than the waters of the fea j at high water, the waters of the foa arc about five feet high- er than the waters of the river ; fo that in every tide there are two falls, one outwards and one inwards. The only time of pa/Tmg with fafety is at the time when the waters of the river are level with the Tvaters of the fea, which is twice in a tide, and continues not more than twenty minutes each time. At other times it is almofl impalTable, or extremely dangerous. This palTage refembljs that at Hell Gate, ncar New York. The banks of this river, enriclied by the annual frclh- ets, are excellent land. About 30 miles from the mouth of this ri- ver commences a fine level country of rich intervale and meadow lands, well clothed with timber and wood, fuch as pine, beech, elm, maple and walnut. This river has many tributary Urcams, which fall into It from each fide, among which are the Oromodo river, the Nafli- wach, and Madamkifwick, on which are rich intervales, that produce all kinds of grain in the higheft perfection. This noble river, in its tlllmPrnnC OnA /•vl-onfilro Kr-nii^Uoo -,.„*„-„ 1 'I 1 ^__ L-L .r , >.,,!. ... ,,., ttiiviiv J, n.iLtis a::u cmi(.2ic3 it iuiL-c iruci Ot excellent country, a great part of which is leuled aad under improve- ■ " • t ll^l MNn^'r vl 28 NOVA SCOTIA, &C. ment. The uplands, in general, are covered wirh" a l^ne gfoWtli of timber fuch as pine and fpruce, hemlock and haid wood, principally beech,' birch, maple, and fome afli. The pines on this river are the largeft to be met with in Britifli America, and afford a confiderable fupply of large and excellent marts. There are three rivers which fall into the bay of Paffamaquoddy ; the largeft is called by the modern Indians the Scoodick j but by De Mons and Champlaine, Etchemins. Its main fource_isnear Penob- fcot river, with which the Indians have a communication •, the carry- ing place between the two rivers is but three miles. The rivers which fail into Paffamaquoddy Bay have intervales and meadows on their banks, and were formerly covered with a large growth of timber, as appears from the remaining large trunks of trees, which are ftill vi- iible. The Indians fay, that about 50 years ago, in a very dry fea- fon, a great fire deftroyed moft of the timber on the eart fide of Pafla- maquoddy Bay, and particularly on the Megegadarick ot Eaftern Ri- ver, which falls into the bay, where it raged with great violence, and fpread as far eaftward as the river which falls into the St. John's, and extended northerly and wefterly beyond the Dickwaffet or Digdequalh river, which falls into the fame fide of the bay. The rivers Riftigouche snd Nipifiguit run from weft to eaft into Chaleur and Nipifiguit bays, which communicate witn the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The river St. Croix empties itfelf into Paffamaquoddy Bay, and forms a part of the boundary between New Brunfwick and Main. Bays and Lakes. — The coaft of this province is indented with nu- merous bays, and commodious harbours. The principal are Charleur, Merramichi, and Vert, which is feparated from the Bay of Fundy by a narrow ifthmus of about i^ miles wide. Bay of Fundy, which ex- tends nearly 50 leagues into the country j Chenigto or Chignedo Bay, at the head of Fundy Bay 5 Paffamaquoddy Bay, bordering on the diftrid of Main. At the entrance of this bay is an ifland granted to feveral gentlemen of Liverpool in Lancalhire, who named it Campo Bello. At a very confiderable expence, they attempted to form i fettlement here, but failed. On feveral other iilands in this bay, there are fettlements made by people from Maffachufetts. Among the lakes in this province, which are very numerous, and as yet without names. Is Grand Lake, near St. John's river, about 30 miles long, and 8 or 10 broad, and in fomc places 40 fathoms deep. PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA. Boundaries and Extent. — Nova Scotia is feparated on theN.E.froml Cape Breton by the Gut of Canfo. On the N. it has a part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Straits of Northumberland, which feparate it from the ifland St. John's. On the W. it has New Brunfwick and the Bay of Fundy ; on the S. and S. E. the Atlantic Ocean. Its greateil length is from Cape Sable an the S. W. to Cape Canfo on the N. E. This province contains 8,789,000 acres-, of which three millions have been granted, and tvco millions fettled and under improvement. Bays, Lakes, Capes, &c. — This province is accommodated with many fpacious harbours, hays, and coves of ftielters, equal to any in |.he world. The Cape and harbour of Canfo are 40 leagues eaftward of Halifax. Chedabudo Bay is about 10 leagues N. W. of Canio. (^hebudo Bay, on which U fituatcd the tcwn d Halifax. The other nas. NOVA SCOTIA, &C. ^ •ow'th of incipally r are the fiderable quoddy •, t by De : , Penob- le carry- ;rs which on their mber, as ; Itillvi- dry fea- of Pafla- iftern Ri- :nce, and. Iin's, and igdequalh I eaft into ulf of St. )ddyBay, ind Main, with nu- Charleur, Fundy by kvhich ex- ledo B^y g on the jranted to it Campo ;o form i Day, there r the lakes lut names, , and 8 or K.E.from f the Gulf feparate it :k and the ts greateil the N. E. llions have ent. lated with to any in s eaftward , of Canio. The other 'prittcipftl bays are Frederick, George, Torbay, Charlotte, King*s, Bar- rington, Townfend, St. Mary's, Annopolis Royal, the Bafin of Minas, and the Bay of Fundy, already mentioned, which wafties the foutherrt ftiores of New Brunfwick, and the north-weilern Ihores of Nova Sco- tia. This bay is i2 leagues acrofs from the Gul of Annapolis to St. John's, the capital of New Brunfwick, and its tides are very rapid. At the head of Chignedo channel, an arm of this bay, thie fpring tides rife 60 feet. At the Bafin of Minas, which may be termed the north- eall arm or branch of this bay, the tides rife 40 feet, and fomttimes more. Befides Cape Sable amd Cape Canfb, at the two extremities of this province, already mentioned, tlrere is Cape Blowmedown, at the fouth- ern fide of the entrance from the Bay of Fundy into the Bafm of Mi- nas. This traft of land is reckoned equal in richnefs and fertility to any in America, producing wheat, rye, barley, oats, and other ve- getables, in perfetlion and abundance. The principal lakes are^ Lake Porter, which empties itfelf into the , ocean about five leagues to the eartward of Halifax. This lake is about 15 miles in length, and nearly one in breadth, with illands in it. Potawoek Lake, fo called by the Indians, lies at the head of St. Mar- garet's Bay, and the main road froni Hilifax to Windfor. The great lake of Shubenaccadre lies on the ealf fide of the road juft mentioned, and about 7 miles from it, and 21 miles from Halifax. There is ano'- thcr lake of confiderable magnitude, called by the French inhabitants Rofljgnol, lying between Liverpool and Annapolis j the Indians fay this lake is the main fource of Liverpool and Petit rivers. It has been a place of refort for the Indians, on account of the convenient hunt- ing grounds around it. There ire many other lakes and ponds which idiverfify this province. ^ Rivers.— The principal rivers 'in this province are Annapolis and Shubenaccadie. The latter rifes within a mile of the town of Dart- mouth-, bn' the eart fide of Halifax harbour, and empties itfelf into Cabequid Ba^, taking in its courfe the Slewiack and Gay's rivers St Mary's^ Antigonifh, Liverpool, Turket, Mufquidoboit, and SiiTiboii rivers, are of lefs note, all emptying themfelves into Piclou harbour in the Straits of Northumberland. ' Face op thc Coontr/, MouNTAr-s, Soil and Productions.— Tlie louthern Ihores of Nova Scotia, to the eye of a ftranger, exhibit an Untavourable appearance, being in general broken and Itony : but the _ innunierable iflands along its coafts, coves and harbours, though ae- nerally compofcd of rocky fubftances, appear by nature defignedfov the drying of fifh, being covered with materials for filh flakes and (la- ges J and there is land fufficient for pallures and gardens to ferve the prpofes of fifhermen. As you advance into the back country it jvears a more pleafing appearance j and at Cornwallis, Windfor, Hor. ton, Annapolis, Cumberland, Cobequid, Pidou, and along the nor- thern (hores of the province, there are extenlive and" well improved larms. 1 he gradual improvements in hufbandry, which has been en- couraged by the laudable efforts, and fuccefsful experiments of the 4^tW M ^"^-^y.l^^^y f «bli(hed here, afford reafonable expeL tllon that Nova Srotia will kp,-,wv,» ,. ti„..„:/i-: 1 ^ i he lands, in general, on the fea coafl of this province, the county I I . I m l\ 3(9 ' NOVA SCOTIA, &C. of Lunenburc!' excepted, and a few hills of good land, are rocky, atiA interfperfcd ivith fvvamps and barrens. The growth in general is a mixture of fpruce, hemlock, pine, fir, beech, and fome rock maple, which furnllh an inexhauftible fupply of materials for building Ihips, and other purpofes. The moft remarkable land on the fouther fhoren of Nova Scotia is the high land of Afpotageon, which lies on the promontory which ieparates Mahone from Margaret's Bay. This land may be feen at a great diftanCe from the fea, and is the land generally made by (hips bound from Europe and the Weft Indies to Halifax. The fummit of this land is about 500 feet perpendicular from the level of the fea. The Ardois mountain lies between Windfor and Halifax, about 30 miles N. E. from the latter. It is fuppofed to be the higheft land in the province, and affords an extenfne profpeft of all the high and low lands about Windfor, Falmouth, and the diitant country bordering oa the Rafin of Minas. Fisheries. — The coaft of this province abounds with fifh of various kinds, as cod, falmon, mackarel, herring, alewives, trout, &c. and Taeing near to the banks of Newfoundland, Quero, and Sable banks, fiflieries, under proper management and regulations, might be carried on with certainty of fuccefs. Mines and Minerals. — There are mines of eoal aL Cumberland, and on the call river which falls into Piftou harbour. There are alfo liraeilone and plafter-of-parls at Windfor, and in the Gut of Canfo, There is plenty of log and mountain ore in Annapolis townftiip, on the borders of the Nidau river, and a bloomery erefted there j and from fbme late fucccfsful experiments, there is a good profped of its be- coming a great benefit. Some fmall pieces of copper have been found Lt Cape U'Or. on the north fide of the Bafin of Minas, but not fuf- ficicnt to ellablifli a well grounded expcftation of any mine rich enough to defray the expence of working it. Cascades. — There is a ftream that falls into the head of Milford haven, over a fall about 40 feet high j and another into the harbour of St. John's, on the north-eaft (hore of the province, over a fall about the fame height. Animals. —In the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunfwick, the animals are of the fame kind and defcri-ption as in the northern parts of the United States, but not fo numerous^ Forts. — Thefe are Fort Edward, at Windfor, capable of containing 200 men ; Annapolis, 100 j Cumberland, 300 j Fort Howe, on St. John's river, in New Brunfwick, 100 j befides which are barracks, enclofed in a ftockade, at Cornwallis, for about 50 men. This was the ilate of thcfe forts in 1783. • Indians. — Thefe are the Mickmacs, and the tribes called the Mare- rhltes. The former inhai)it the eaitern (liore, between Halifax and Cape Breton •, between Cumberland county and the north-cart coaft of the province, towards Charleur bay ; about the heads of the rivers which run through the counties of Hants and King's County j and betAveen Cape Sable and Annapolis Royal. This tribe has about 300 fighting men. The Marechites inhabit the river St. John's, and around Patuift'ricjuoddy Bayj and have alfo a few fighting iucii ; They arc- much fuperior in all refpefls to the Mickmacs. f to re rocky, atiA II general is a ; rock maple, uilding ihips, ova Scotia is antcry which ♦ y be feen at a nade by (hips he fummit of if the fea. ax, about 30 igheft land in high and low bordering oa ifh of various )ut, &c. and Sable banks, ij jht be carried Cumberland, ""here are alfo iut of Canfo, vnihip, on the re J and from )e6l of its be- /e been found , but not fuf- le rich enough id of Milford I the harbour :, over a fall V BrunlVvick, the northern of contalninjT riowe, on St. are barracks, This "vvas the [ed the Mare- 1 Halifax and h-calt coaft of of the rivers County j and has about 300 I's, and around • en 1 iicj are NOVA SCOTIA, See. S't Chief Towns.— Halifax, the capital of the province of Nova Sco. tia, was fettled by a nun\ber of Britiih fubjetls in 1749. It is lituat- ed in latitude 44** 40' on a fpacious and commodious bay or harbour, «f a bold and eafy entrance, capable of containing looo veffcls at an- chor in the utmoft fecurity. The town is built on the weft fide of the harbour, on the declivity of a commanding hill, whofe fummit is near- ly 340 feet perpendicular from the level of the fta. I'he town is bud put into oblong fquares y the llrects parallel, and at right angles. The town and fuburbs are about two miles in length, and the general width a quarter of a mile. It contained in 1793 about 4000 inhabitants and 700 lioufes. At the northern extremity of the town, is the king's naval yard, completely built, and fupplied with llorcs of every kind for the royal navy. Tlie harbour of ' Halifax is reckoned inferior to no place in Britifh America for the feat of government, being opea and acceflible at all feafons of the year, when almoft all other har- bours in thefe provinces are locked up with ice ; alfo from Its entrance, fituation, and its proximity to the Bay of Funtly, and principal inte- rior fettlements of the province. The other principal towns are, Shelburne, on Port Rofeway, near Cape Sables, containing, in 1783, 600 families, which have lince diminifhed j Digby, fettled in 17S3 j Lunenburg ; Annapolis, on the eaft fide of the Bay of Fundy, with a fine harbour, otherwife a place of no importance 5 Guyiborough, or Manchefter, 10 leagues N. W. of Cape Canfo, 2jO families, in 1783 j Rawdon, 40 miles from Halifax, 60 houfes •, New Dublin, Liverpool, Windfor, Cornwallis, Horton, Yarmouth, Barrington and Ari;yll. Trade and Population. — Th^ exporis from Britain to this country confift chieriy of linen and woollen cloths, and other neceflaiies for vear, filhing tackle, and rigging for (hips. The only articles obtain- ed In exchange are timber and the produce of the fifliery j hut from the late increafe of inhabitants, it is fuppofed that they will now ered; faw mills, and endeavour co fupply the Welt Indies with lumber o*-' every kind, as well as the produce of the fifhery, which will be a pro- fitable article to both countries. The whole population of Nova Scotia, Ne*v Brunfwick, and the -iflands adjoining, is eilimatcd at J0,000. Road, — In 1792, 40 miles of a good cart road was cut, cleared and bridged, from the populous and tlouriihjng fettlements at Poidou, on the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Halifax, a diiiancc of 68 miles. Eight miles of this diftance had before been cut. The advantages to the di(lri(iil above mentioned from this road, in point of commerce with the capital, and the enjoyment of the benefits of government, will be great. The expence of it was defrayed by a revenue which has always been difpofed of by ihe former governors, but not before applied to fuch beneficial purpofcs. History. — Notwithllanding the unfavourable appearance of this country, it was here that fome of the firft European fettlements were made. The firft grant of lands in it was given by Charles II. in 1663, to Sir William Alexander, from whom it had the name of Nova Sco- tia, or New Scotland. Since then it has frequently changed mafters, from one private proprietor to another, and from the French to the Britiih nation, backward and forward. It was not Britifti tili the peace of Utrecht j and their defigr I :onfirmed to t in acquiring It r^i I » 3* NOVA SCOTIA, &C. iloes not fcern to have arifen fo much from any profpcfl of dtrcft pro,- fit to be obtained by it, as from an apprdteiifion that the French, by poiTefTin^ this province, might have had it in their power to annoy the other Britiih fettlements. Upon this belief, many families *.ere tranf- ported in 1749, at the cliarge of the government, into thii country, who built and fettled the town of Halifax. ISLAND OF ST. JOHn's. This ifland lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, near the northern coafl; of the Province of Nova Scotia, and is 103 miles long, and from 10 to ^5 broad. It has feveral fine rivers, a rich foil, and is pleafantly fituated. Charlbttetown is its principal, town, and is the refidence of the lieutenant governor, who is the chief officer on the illand. The number of inhabitants are eftimated at about 5000. Upon the reduc tion of Cape Bretpn, in 1745, the inhabitants of ^his ifland, amounting to about 4000, lubmitted to Britain. While the French poffeffed this illand. they inaproved it to fo much advantage that it was called the granary of Canada, which i*" furniflied with great plenty of corn, as "well as beef and pork. It is attached to the province of Nova Scotia. The other iflands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence worthy of notice, are, Anticofti, near the mouth of S<;. Lawrence' river, about 120 miles long and 30 broad. If has no convenient harbour, and is uninhabited. The Magdalen Ifles, lying in 61® 40' weft Ion. and between 47S 13' to 47*^ 42' north lat. and inhabited by a few fiftiermen. Thefe iflands were formerly frequented by fea-cows, but they are iiow be- come fearce. Ifle Percee about 15 miles fouth of Cape Gafpee, is a fmall but re» markable ifland, being a perpendicular rock, pierced with two natural arches, through which the fea flows. One of thefe arches is fufficient* !y high to admit a large boat to pafs freely through. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Miles. Situation and Extent. Length Breadth 1250 1040 7 P^' ?• Between-? 8* J C64< '^ and 46** north latitude. 8* E. and 24^ W. Ion. from Philadelplua, 64*^ and 96S W. Ion. from London. Boundaries.— -Bounded north and eaft by Britifl;i America, or the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, and New ErunGvick j fou^h-. eaft, by the Atlantic Ocean j fouth, by Eaft aixd Weft Florida j weft, by the river Mifiifippi. By the treaty of peace, the limitsof the American United States are particularly defined in the following words : '' And that all difputes " which might arife in future on the fubjeft of the boundaries of the faid United States may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declar- ed, that the following are and ftiall be their boundaries, viz. From the north-weft ande of Nova Scotia, viz. that anp-le whjrh is fnrmpd by a line drawn due north from the fource of St. Croix River to the Highlands, along the fiid Highlands, which di\ idc thofe rivers that <( t( «( u «< ti i( « «( t( (( (( (1 it n n n (t it n lled the of corn, as lova Scotia. notice, are, : 120 miles uninhabited, etween 47S ten. Thefe ire iiow be- rnall but re» tvvo natural is fufficient* V. Philadelphia, ndon. 'rica, or the dck J fouth* arida 5 weft, ;d States are all difputes larieS of the . and declar- , viz. From ch is formpd River to the fe rivers that a THE CNITED STATEr. 33 *' empty therafclvcs Into the river St. Lawrence, from thofe which " fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the north-wellernmoft head of Con- " netlicut river •, thence down along the middle of that river to ihe " forty-fifth degree of north latitude ; from thence by a Hue due weft " on faid latitude, until it fhikcs the river Iroquoi, or Cataraqui j " thence along the middle of faid river into Lake Ontario ; through the " middle of faid lake, until it llrikes the communication by water be- " tween that lake and Lake Erie j thence along the middle of faid " communication into Lake Erie, through the middle of faid lake, " until it arrives at the water communication between that lake and " Lake Huron ; thence through the middle of faid lake to the water " communication between that lake and Lake Superior ; thence " through Lake Superior, northivard of the Ifles Royal and Phil- '' lipeaux, to the Long Lake ; thence through the middle of faid " Long Lake, and the water communication between it and the Lake of the Woods, to the faid Lake of the Woods j thence through the faid lake to the moft north-wellern point thereof, and from thence, on a due weft courfe, to the river Miflifippi j thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of faid river MilTifippi, until it (hall iiiter- feft the northemmoft part of the thirty-firft degree of north latitude. " South, by a line to be drawn due eaft from the determination of the line laft mentioned. In the latitude of thirty-one degrees north of the equator, to the middle of the river Apalachichola, or Cata* honclie ; thence along the middle thereof to its junftion with the Flint River j thence ftraight to the head of St. Mary's River ; and thence down along the middle of St. Mary's River to the Atlantic Ocean. " Eaft, by a line to be drawn along the middle of the river St. " Croix, from Its mouth, in the Bay of Fundy, to its fource, and " from its fource direftly north, to the aforefaid Highlands, which " divide the rivers that fall into the Atlantic Ocean from thofe which " fall into the river St. Lawrence j comprehending all iflands within '* 20 leagues of any part of the fhores of the United States, and lying " between lines to be drawn due eaft from the points where the afore- " faid boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and Ealt " Florida on the other, ftiall refpeftfuUy touch the Bay of Fundy and *| the Atlantic Ocean, excepting fuch iflands as now are, or hereto- " fore have been, within the limits of the faid province of Nova (( <( (( (( Scot la.' The territory of the United States contains, by computation, lion of fquare miles, in which are 640,000,000 acres Deduft foi- water 51,000,000 a mil' Acres of land in the United States 589,000,000 That part of the United States, comprehended between the weft boundary hne of Pennfylvanla, on the eaft j the boundary line between the Bntifli provinces and the United States, extending from the north- weft corner of Pennfylvania, to the north-weft extremity of the Lake pf the Woods, on the north j the river Miffifippi, to the mouth of the noned bounds of Pennfylvania,^comains, by computation, about 34 ^at UNITED STATES. I ISfl 411,030 fquare miles, in which are Dcduft for water, 263,040,000 acre* 43,040,000 To be difpofed of by ordor of Conerefs, 220,000,000 The wliole of this immcnfe extent ot ui appropriated weftern terri. 4ory, and feveral other large traas fouth of tiie Ohio, have been, by the ceflTion of fome of the original thirteen itates, and by the treaty of peace, transferred to the federal gpvernment, and are pledged as a fund for finking the continental debt. Of this territory the Indians now pof- fefs a very large proportion, Mr. Jefferfon, in his report to Congrefs, in 1791, defcribes the boundary line between the States and the Indians a-J follows : " Beginning at the mouth of the Cayahoga, which falls into the ^outhernmoll part of Lake Erie, and running up the river to the portage, between that and the Tufcarora, or N. E. branch of the Mufkingum j then down the faid branch to the forks, at the crofTuig place above Fort Lawrence •, then weilwavdly, towards the portage of the Great Miami, to the main branch of that river) then down the Miami, to the fork of that river, next below the old fort, which was laken by the French in 1752 •, thence due xveft to the river De la Panfe, a branch of the Wabaih, and down that river to the Wabafli, So far the line is precifely determined, and cleared of the claims of the In- dians. The trad com[)reliending the whole country within the above liefcribed line, the VVabarti, the Ohio, and the weltern limits of Penn- fylvania, contains about 55,000 fquare miles. How far, on the weltern iide of the Wabaih, the ibuthtrn boundary of the Indians has been de- lined, we know not. It is only underltood In general, that their title to the lower country, between that river and the Illinois, was former- Jy extinguilhed by the French, while in their poffeflion." EJiimate of the Number of j4cres of Water, north and wefiward of the Rive. Ohio, within the Territory of the United States. In Lake Superior, - - - Acres, 21,952,780 Lake of the Woods, - -r - 1,133,800 Lake Rain, &c. - - - - 165,200 Red Lhke, . ^ - . . 551,000 Lake Michi^aa, - - r - 10,368,000 \ Bay Puan, - . - - . 1,216,000 Lake Huron, - r - - 5,009,920 Lake St. Clair, .... - 89,500 Lake Erie, wcftem part, - - .'* - 2,252,800 Sundry fmall lakes and riyers, - - - _^ 301,00a Lake Erie, wertward of the line extended from the northv/ell: qorner of Pennfylvania, due north to the I boundary between the Brkilh territory and the ^ ^ '^' United States, Lake Ontario, Lake Champlaine, Chefapeak Bay, Albemarle Bay, Delaware Bay / 2,390,000 500,000' 1,700,000 330,000 630,003 All the rivers within the 13 States, including the Ohio, 2,000,00 Total, 51,000,000- ^A w fo \ 000 acre* 000 000 eftern terrl. i^c been, by :he treaty of ed as a fund ms now pof- to Congrefs, 1 the Indians which falls the river to iranch of the the crofTmg e portage of en dov.'n the , which was De la Panfe, afli. So far s of the In- in the above lits of Penn- i the we Hern has been de- at their title was former- voejlward of States. 21,952,780 1,133,800 165,200 10,368,000 1,216,000 5,009,920 80,500 2,252,800 301,00a 410,000 2,390,000 500,000' 1,700,000 330,000 630,003 2,000,00 T»HE UNITED STATt?". W Canals and Lakes.— It may tru'/ be faid, that no part of the worK{ is fo well watered with fprings, rivulets, rivers and lakes, as the ter- fitory of the United States. By means of thcfe various ftreams and colleaions of water, the whole country is chequered into illands and peninfulas. The United States, and indeed all parts of North Ame- rica, feems to have been formed by nature for tht- moil intimate union. The' facilities of navigation render the communication between the ports of Georgia and New-Hamp(hire far more expeditious and prac- ticable than between thofe of Provence and Picardy in France ; Corn- wall and Caithnefs, in Great Britain; or Gallicia and Catalonia, iit Spain. The canals opening between Sufijuehannah and Delaware, be- tween Pafquetank and Elizabeth rivers, in Virginia, and between the Schuylkill and Sufquehannah, will open a communication from the Carolinas to the weftern counties of Pennfylvania and New York. The improvement of the Patomak will give a paffage from the Southern States to the wcilern parts of Virginia, Maryland, Pennfylvania, and even to the lakes. From Detroit to Alexandria, on the Patomak, 607 miles, are but two carrying places, which togethej do not exceed the diftance of 40 miles. The canals, of Delaware and Chefapeak will ©pen the communication from South Carolina to New Jerfey, Dela- ware, the moft populous parts of Pennfylvania, and the midla.id coun- ties of New York. Were thefc, and the canal between Afliley and Cooper rivers, in South Carolina, the canals in the northern parts of the ftate of New York, and thofe of Maffachufetts and New Hamp- fliire, all opened, and many of them are in great forwardnefs. North America would thereby be converted into a clurter of large and fertile iflands, communicating eafily with each other, at little expence, and. in many inftances without the uncertainty or danger of the feas. There is nothing in other parts of the globe which refembles the prodigious chain of lakes in this quarter. They may properly be term- ed inland feas of frefti water •, and even thofe of the fecond or third clafs in magnitude, are of larger extent than the greatefl lakes in the caftern continent. Some of the more northern lakes, belonging to the United States, have never been furveycd, or even vifited till lately, by white people ; of courfe, we have no defcriptlon of them which can be relied on as accurate. Others have been partially furveyed, and their relative fituation determined. The belt account of them which has yet been procured is nearly as follows : The Lake of the Woods, the moll northern in the United States, is fo called from the large (juantities of wood growing on its banks j fuch as oaks, pines, firs, fpruce, &c. This lake lies nearly eail of the fouth end of Lake Winnepeek, and is fuppol'ed to be the fource or con- duftor of one branch of the river Bourbon. Its length from eall to well is faid to be about 70 miles, and in fome places it is 40 miles wide. The Killiilinoe Indians encamp on its borders to filh and hunt. This lake is the communication between the Lakes Winnepeek and Bour- bon, and Lake Superior. Rainy, or Long Lake, lies eall of the Lake of the Woods, and is faid to be nearly loo miles long, and in no part more than 20 milea ivide. Eadward of this lake, lie feveral fraall ones, which extend In a ftring to the great carrying place, and thence into Lake Superior. I ''^?llte.«. 36 THE UKITED STATES. Between thefe little lakes are feveral carrying places, whick rendo the trade to the north-weft diffi-ult, and exceedingly tedious, as it ge- nerally takes two years to make one voyage from Michillimakkinak to thefe parts. Lake Superior, formerly termed the Upper Lake, from its northern iituation, is fo called from its magnitude, it being the largeft on the continent. It may juftly be termed the Cafpian of Anderica, and is fiippofcd to be the largeft bo y of frcfti water on the globe, Accord- ing to the French charts, it is 1500 rrtilcg in circumference. A great part of the coaft is bounded by rocks and imeven ground. The water is pure and tranfparent, and appears generally, throughout the lake,; to lie upon a bed of huge rocks. It has been remarked, in regard to the w?.ters of this lake, that although their furface, during the heat of fummer, is impregnated with no fmall degree of warmth, yet on let- ting down a cup to the depth of about a fathom, the water drawn from thence is perfedly cool. The fituation of this lake, from the lateft obfervations, lies between forty-fix and fifty degrees of north latitude, and between nine and eighteen degrees of weft longitude from the meridian of Philadelphia. In this lake are many iflands, two of which have land enough ta form a confiderable province j especially Iflc Royal, which is not lefs than 100 miles long, and in many places 40 broad; Two large rivers empty themfelves into this lake, on the north ar^l north-eaft fide ; one is called the Nipegon, which leads to a tribe of the Chippeways, who inhabit a lake of the fame name ^ and the other the Michipicooton river, the fource of which is tow-ards James' Bay, from whence there is faid to be but a ftiort portage to another river, which empties itfelf into that bay. Not far from the Nipegon is a fmall river, that, juft as it enters the lake, has a perpendicular fall from the top of a mountain, of 600 feet* It is very narrow, and appears at a diftance like a white garter fufpend -• ed in ^ ,e air. There are upwards of thirty other rivers wliich empty into this lake, fome of which are of a confiderable fize. On the fouth fide of it is a remarkable point or cape of about 60 miles in length, called point Chegomegan. About 100 miles weft of this cape, a con- fiderable river falls into the lake, the head of which is ccmpofed of a great affemblage of fmall ftreams. This river is remarkable for the ubundance of virgin copper that is found on and near its banks. Many fmall iilands, particularly on the eaftern ftiores, abound with copper ore lying in beds, with the appearance of copperas. This lake alfo abounds with fiih, particularly trout and fturgedn 5 the former of which are very large, and are caught almoft any feafon of the year in great plenty. Stormc aSc&. this lake as much as they do the Atlantic Ocean j the waves run as high, and the navigation is equally danger- ous. It difchaxges its waters from the fouth-eaft corner, through the Straits of St. Marie, which are about 40 miles long. Near the upper end of thefe ftraits is a rapid, which, though it is impoflible for canoes to afcend, yet, when conduced by careful pilots, may be defcended without danger. The entrance into this lake from the Sraits of St. Marie affords a moft pleafing profpeft. On the left may be f6en many beautiful little iilands that extend a confiderablc way ; and on the right, an agreeable ■hich. rendci us, as it ge- iiakkinak to its northern rgeft on the ;rica, and is , Accord- ;. A great The water ut the lake, in regard to the heat of yet on let- drawn from ies between ;n nine and 'hiladelphia. 1 enough ta h is not lefs e north ar^l to a tribe of id the other James' Bay, lOther river, It enters the of 600 feet* :ter fufpend- ?liich empty )n the fouth ;s in length, :ape, a con- mpofed of a able for the nks. Many with copper liis lake alfo ler of which ear in great he Atlantic ally danger- through the It the upper e for canoes e defcended :ie affords a autiful little m agreeable THE UNITED STATES. 37 fucceflion of fmall "p"i"ts of land, that projeft into the v;iter, and contribute, with the illands, to render this delightful b;ifon calm ancl fecure from thofe tempelluous winds by uliich the adjoining lake is frequently troubled. Lake Huron, into which you enter through the Straits of St. Marif, is next in magnitude to Lake Superior. It lies between 43*^ 30' and 46** 30' of north latitude, and between lix and eight degrees well lon- gitude. Its circumference is about 1000 miles. On the north fide ot this lake is an iiland called Manataulin, fignifying a place of fpirits,^ and is confidered as facred by the Indians. On the foutli-weit part of this lake is Saganaum Bay, about Ho miles in length, and from 18 to 20 miles broad. Thunder Bay, fo called from the thunder which is very frequent here, lies about half way between Saganaum Bay and the north-well corner of the lake. It is about nine miles aciofs eltlicr way. The fifti are the fame as in Lake Superior. At the noith-wefi: corner this lake communicates with Lake Michigan, by the Straits of Michillimakkinak. Some of the Chippeway Indians inhabit this lake ; particularly near Sa- ganaum Bay. On its banks are found amazing quantities of fand cherrie:?. Michigan Lake lies between latitude 42*^ 10' and 46° 30' north j ancl between 11° and 13° welt longitude from Philadelphia. Its computed length is 280 miles, from north to fouth j its breadth from 60 to 70 miles. It is navigable for (hipping of any burthen ; and at the north-eallerii part communicates with Lake Huron by a ftrait fix miles broad, on the fouth fide of which Hands fort Michillimakkinak, which is th- name of the Itrait. In this lake are feveral kinds of fiih, paitlcuiarly trout, of an excellent quality and of a very large fize. I'o the v/elt- ward arc large meadows, faid to extend to the Milhrippi. It receives a number of rivers from the weft and eall, among whieh h Uut river St. fofeph, very rapid and full of iflands. It fprings from a number of fmall lakes, a little to the north-weft of the Minmi villiage, and runs north-weft into the foutli-eaft part of the lake. On tlie north ilde •of this river is fort St. Jofeph, from which there is a road, bearJoT north of ealt to Detroit. The Pov.te'watamie Indians inhabit this river lOppofite fort St. Jofeph. Between Lake Michigan on the weft, and Lakes Huron, St. Clair, and ihc weft end of Erie on the enft, is a fine tra-^^ of country, penin- fulated, more than 250 mik\> in leng»li, and from 150 to 200 in breadth. The banks c ** the lakes, for a few miles inland, are very fandy and barren, producing only a few pines, (hrub oaks and cedars. Back from thi^ the timber is heavy and good, and the foil luxuriant and productive. I Lake St. Clair lies about half way bet^veen Lake Huron and Lake Erie, and is about 90 miles in circumference. It teceives the waters of the three great lakes, Superior, Michigan and Huron, and difcharge j them through the river or ftrait called Detroit into Lake Erie. This lake is of an oval form, and navigable for large veffels. The fort of Detroit is fltnated on the weftein bank of tlu^ river of the fame name, about nine miles below Lake St. Chur. The fettlements are extended on both fides of the ftrait, or river, for many miles, towards Lake Eric, and for fome above the fort. Lake Eric is fituated bctnccn 41" and 43° of north latitude and I ■^ If I ! t vkj^.il II M», aS THE UNITED STATES. het^veen 3° 40' and S'' weft lon^ritade. It is nearly 300 miles long, from call to weft, and about 40 at its broadeft part. A point of lanJ proi;;c>s from the north fide into this lake, feveral miles, towards the fouth-e:ift, called Long Point, The illands and banks towards the weil end of the lake are fo infefted with rattle-fnakes as to render it very dan;;erous to land on them. The lake is covered near the banks of the iflands with large pond lily, the leaves of whicli lie on the furface of the water fo tliiclc as to cover 'it entirely to a great extent •, on thefe, in the fummer feafon, lie innumerable water-fnakes balking iu the fun. Of the venomous ferpents which infeft this lake, the hiffing- fnake is the moft remarkable. It is about 18 inches lortg, fmall and fpeckled. When approaching it, it flattens itfelf in a moment, and its fpots, which are of various colours, become viiibly brighter through ra;;e ; at the fame time, blowing from its mouth, with great force, a fubtile wind, faid to be of a naufeous fmell ; which, if drawn in with the breath of the unwary traveller, will infallibly bring on fyraptoms t-liat will prove in a few months mortal. No remedy Kas yet been found for its baneful influence. This lake is of a more dangerous navigation than any of the others, on account of the craggy rocks which project into the water, in a perpendicular direftion, n:any miles together, from the northern fl'ore, affording no fhelter from ftorms. Prefque Ifle is on the fouth-eaft fhore of this lake, about lat. 42** 16'. From this to Fort Le Eceuf, on French Creek, is a portage of 15I miles. About lo miles north-eaft of this is another portage of 9+ miles, between Chataughque Creek, emptying Into Lake Erie, and Chataughque Lake, a water of Allegany river. Fort Erie ftands on the northern fliore of Lake Erie, and the weft bank of Niagara river, In Upper Canada. This lake, at Its north-eaft end, comr4unicates with Lake Ontario, by the river Niagara, which runs from fouth to north, about 30 miles, including Its windings, tak- ing, in its courfe, Grand liland, and receiving Tonewanto Creek, from the eaft. Al^out the middle of this river, are the celebrated Falls of Niagu-a, which are reckoned amongft the greateft natural curlolities in the world. The waters which fupply the river Niagara rife near 2D00 miles to the north-weft, and pafluig through the lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie, receiving in their courfe conftant accu- r.ialatlons, at length, v.ith aftonlftiing majefty, rufti down a ftupendous precipice of 137 fett perpendicular; and in a itrong rapid, that extends to the diftance of eight or nine miles below, fall near as much more; 'the river then lofes itfelf in Lake Ontario. The water falls 57 feet in the diftance of one mile, before it falls perpendicularly. Standing on the bank of che river .opnofite thefe falls, one would not imagine them to be more than 4c or 50 feet perpendicular height. The nolfe of thefe laHs, In a clear day and fair wind, may be heard at near fifty miles diftance. When the water ftrikes the bottom, its fpray rifes a great heip^ht in the air, occafioning a thick cloud of vapours. In which, in a fi^rtne iky, may be feen a beautiful rainbow. Fort Niagara built by the French about the year 1725, is fttuated on the eaft fide of Niagara river, at its entrance into Lake Ontario, about 43° 20' N. lat. Lake Ontario Is fituatcd between forty-three and forty-five degrees u-)iV.h latitude, and between one and five degrees weft longitude. Its ft-^n- •' -1' .,-i>- ■■.—-] T.... ^^i\ i_ »i- ! r c -^1. i\ .. ^u -.a •F/iITi ..J Uvaifv 0\ai. .nr. \^it.^it;u iCU^Lil ir> iiuill iuULll- V.Cil lU IlUllU-cait» :.-^ * miles long, JoInt of lanJ towards the towards the to render it ar the banks n the furf'ace : extent •, on es bafkin^^ in , the hlffing- g, fmall and ment, and its liter through reat force, a in in with the 'niptoms tliat een found for IS navigation vhich projeft les together, out lat. 42* jrtage of 15^ jrtage of 9+ ie Erie, and and the weft its north-eaft I gar a, which indings, tak- Creek, from ated Falls of al curiofities ^ara rife near ces Superior, )nftant accu- a ftupendous that extends much more; falls 57 feet Standing on magine them noife of thefc ir fifty miles rifes a great 1 which, in a gara built by e of Niagara sF. lat. -five degrees igitude. Its to noith-cailt ii^i THE UNITED STATES. 39 j^nd its cireuflaference about fix hundred miles. It abounds with ex- cellent fifh.'^its hanks in many places are fteep, and the fouthcrn fhore is covered priiTcipally with beech trees, and the lands appear good. It receives the waters of the Cheraflct river from the fouth, and of Opontago, at Fort Ofwego, from tlie fouth-eaft, by which it commu- nicates, through lake Oneida, and Wcru Creek, with Mohawk viver. On the north-eaft, this lake difrharges itfelf througli the river Catar- qiii, which, at Montreal, takes the name of St. Lawrence, into the Atlantic ocean. A few miles from the weft end of Lake Ontario, is a curious cavern, which the Mcflifangas Indians call ^iamto' ah vgv.U4m or the Houfe of the Devil- The mountains which border on the lake, at this place, break off abruptly, and form a tremendous precipice ; at the bottom of which the cavern begins. The firit opening is large enough to allow three men conveniently to walk abreail. It continues oT this liigncfs for 70 yards in a horizontal dire