The coaft has the advantage of many bays, harbours, and creeks; and many of the rivers, are navigated for a long courfe by the native Indians. Chebucto, upon which the town of Halifax is feated, is a very fine harbour both for fafety and convenience, having depth of water for the largest fhips; and furnishing the means for them to heave down and careen. The entrance into it is from the fouth, with a large island of an irregular form, lying on the N. E. fide, named Cornwallis Ifland. from the first governor of Halifax. The town is fituated on the W. fide of the harbour.

There are alfo feveral other towns laid out round the bay, and partly inhabited; but the molt confiderable fettlements are upon the Bay of Fundy, and the rivers that fall into it.

This country was difcovered by John Cabot. in the year 1497, but lay long neglected before any confiderable fettlement was made in it. The French, however, had landed and built houfes; but in 1614, captain Argal. by order of the government of Virginia, failed thither, and obliged them to depart.

In 1621 king James gave a grant of this province to Sir William Alexander, afterward Earl of Stirling, and fecretary of flate for Scotland, by whom it was called Nova Scotia. The next year Sir William fent a number of people, and all kinds of neceffaries for beginning a fettlement; but in 1632, Quebec and Cape Breton, which had been taken from the French, were, together with this province, ceded to them by a treaty concluded between Charles 1. and Lewis XIII. when a number of English removed out of it, and the French kept it in their poffeffion till the year 1645, when Oliver Cromwell fent major Sedgewick, who took Port Royal, and obliged the French to quit the country.

Nova Scotia continued in poffeffion of the English till the reign of Charles II. when it was again ceded to the French by the treaty of Breda, by whom it was held till the year 1690, when the people of New England finding the inconvenience of having the French fo near them, got together fome hips, and a fmall land force, which proceeded to Port Royal, and foon reduced the place; but the French inhabitants, being allowed to keep their lands, houfes, and property, on fwearing allegiance to the British government, and having the affurance given them that they fhould never be called upon to bear arms against their countrymen, they, in general, accepted the conditions, from which time they were called, "the neutral French.” The manners of these people were remarkably fimple; they cultivated the land, and employed themselves in hunting and fifhing. Having but few wants, and poffeiling the ready means of fupplying the few they had. they multiplied exceedingly, and in little more than fifty years were fuppofed to confift of eighteen thousand fouls. In the year 1710, a fquadron of fhips of war and fome land forces were fent to Port Royal, which then received the name of Annapolis, in honour of the reigning queen. An English governor was appointed, and a garrifon ftationed. The French neutrals were fill however allowed the free exercife of their religion, and remained fecure in their perfons and property; notwithflanding which, this mixture of English and French was foon found to produce jealoufies and difcontents on both fides, which had confiderably increafed by the time that the next, contention with France arole. The poffellion of these parts had then become an important object to both nations, and the neutral French were charged with carrying on a fecret correfpondence with their countrymen in Canada; and it was fuppofed that by their practices the French, in the VOL. IV.

D

year 1744, attacked and took the fort of Canfo. Thefe imputations cauf. ed them to be treated by the English as difaffected fubjects, and many families tranfported themselves and their effects to Canada, and other parts of America belonging to France. The number of French neutrals in Nova Scotia being thus greatly reduced, it was determined at length by the Briti government to remove the remainder, which was executed with great fecre cy; they were put on board fhips and conveyed to different parts of America, in the poffeffion of the English. Since their expulfion, Nova Scotia has been very thinly peopled.

After the peace of Aix la Chapelle a defign was formed of re-peopling the country by forming a fettlement on the eaftern fide of the peninfula, and near four thousand foldiers and failors who had been discharged the fervice, invited by the offers of land and affistance, were conveyed thither with their. families at the expenfe of government. Fifty acres of land in fee-fimple were offered to every private foldier or feaman, free from the payment of quit-rent or taxes for the term of ten years, and at the expiration of that time they were to pay only one fhilling a year for every fifty acres. But this was not all; every private foldier or feaman who had a family was to have ten acres for every perfon of which his family confifted, whether women or children; and farther grants were to be made to them on the like conditions, in proportion as their families increased, or to their abilities for cultivating the land.

At length a fpot was pitched npon for building a town, which received the name of Halifax, in honour of the earl, who was then first commiffioner of trade and plantations, and the principal promoter of the feulement; but thefe coloniffs have not exerted themselves in the grand object of purfuit which was intended to occupy them, the fifheries upon the adjacent coafls; and much of the land which was then granted ftill remains uncleared and ufelefs; however, the admirable harbour has been found highly serviceable to the British navy, and it has received every attention from the mother country; for near four thousand pounds per annum is faid to have been expended on this town and port during the firft twenty years. In the year 1763 a court of admiralty for all North America was effablifhed here, and during the late war this place was the general rendezvous for the British hips of war, and the chief refort of the inerchant ships.

At the conclufion of the war with the American colonies a new government was formed on the western and northern parts of Nova Scotia, and called New Brunswick, for the purpose of inviting the German officers and foldiers who had ferved in the pay of Great Britian, of which the Brunfwickers were the most numerous, to clear the land, and take up their abode there, a ftrong difpofition prevailing among them to fettle in that country to which they had been fent for the purpose of fubduing it. New Brunswick has the whole courfe of the river St. Croix, from its fource, for its fouth weflern boundary; the province of Quebec to the W. and N.; the bay of Chaleurs and the gulf of St. Laurence on the E. A confiderable advantage held out to the fettlers on this fpot was the fupplying the British Weft India lands with lumber, and taking their produce in return. The town of Shelburne, fo called from the nobleman who was then firft lord of the treafury, was foon built, the houfes being entirely of wood. Its harbour is called Port Rafeway. Hither the loyalifts reforted in great numbers, bringing with the property and fpecie to a very great value. The town

of Shelburne is said to be two miles in extent, and to contain 9000 inhabi

Of CANADA, or NEW FRANCE.

CANADA, the largeft province upon the continent, at the peace

of 1763, was bounded on the N. E. by the Gulf of St. Laurence and St. John's-river; on the S. W. by lands inhabited by the Indians; on the S. by the provinces of New York, New England, and Nova Scotia, and on the N. W. by lands claimed by the Indians. Quebec, its capital, is feated Gear the centre, in latitude 46° 55′ N. and in 5° 7′ E. longitude from Philadelphia. The country extends, according to major Rogers, about five hundred miles in length, from the N. E. to the S. W. and upward of two hundred miles in breadth; bu: by an act of Parliament paffed in the year 1774, the boundaries of this province were confiderably enlarged; being on the S. extended from the bay of Chaleur by an imaginary line drawn along the high lands to a point in 45° N. latitude, on the eaftern bank of the river Connecticut, and along the fame latitude due W. through lake Champlain, until it joins the river St. Laurence; from thence up the eaftern bank of the fame river to lake Ontario, through that lake, Niagara river, and lake Erie, by the Ohio to the Miffippi; from thence northward to the fouthern boundary of the territory granted to the Hudfon's bay company; Newfoundland was also annexed to and inade part of the government of Quebec; but thefe boundaries have fince been much contracted, Canada being now bounded by New Britain and Hudfon's Bay to the N. the gulf of St. Laurence, Nova Scotia, and New England to the E. by New-York to the S.; but its wellern limits are left fomewhat indifinite.

The French comprehend under the name of Canada a most extensive territory, taking into their claim great part of the New-England provinces, and of the provinces of New-York and Nova-Scotia ; northerly to Hudfon's Bay; to the W. as far as the Pacific Ocean; and to the S. extending to the Gulf of Mexico. They even endeavoured to fupport their claim, by erecting a chain of forts from the mouth of St. Laurence to their fettlements in Louifiana.

They began the fettlement of this province in the year 1605; at Quebec, which is feared on the N. fhore of the river St. Laurence, about three hundred miles from its mouths and about the fame time began to form fettlements ou the Island of Orleans in that river, a little below Quebec; likewife on each side of the river, to its mouth, and on several smaller rivers that fall into it. They foon after began a fettlement called Fecorty, about twenty miles up the river from Quebec, and erected a fort at Chamblee on the river Sorreil, near its influx into Lake Champlain. Soon after this the foundations of Montreal were laid, on the island of the fame name, in the river St. Lawrence, two hundred miles above Quebec. Another fettlement was made at Trios Rivieres, or the Three Rivers, fo called from a river dif charging itself by three mouths into that bf St. Lawrence, about half-way between Quebec and Montreal, in a very delightful fpot.

While the above fettlements were forming, Sir David Kirk, in 1626, with the English under his command, took Canada, which was then confidered as within the umits of the British dominions, attacked Quebec, and took all the French fettlements- But they were reftored by the treaty of 1632, and continued in their poffeffion till September 13, 1759, when Quebec was

furrendered to the generals Monkton and Townshend, commanding the British troops that had been deltined for the expedition again!! it the preceding fpring, under the command of general Wolfe; and on the eighth of September, 1760. all Canada was delivered up to the English by the capitulation of Montreal.

The climate here is cold, the winters long and tedious, efpecially in the N. E. parts of the province; notwithflanding which the foil is in general very good, and in many parts both pleafant and fertile, producing moiÈ kinds of English grain and vegetables in great abundance; efpecially the Iland of Orleans, and the islands and lands near it, which are remarkable for the richness of their foil.

The fummers of Canada are exceedingly plea fant, and are faid to have fo happy an effect upon the foil, that the farmer expects to reap his crop in fixteen weeks from the time of fowing his feed. The meadow grounds, which are well watered. yield excellent grafs, and breed valt quantities of Jarge and fmall cattle; and where the land is well cultivated, it produces rich crops. The mountains abound with coal-mines. The province has in fome parts excellent timber, fuch as white pines, oak of different kinds, and Spruce in great abundance.

The rivers branching through this extenfive country are very numerous, and many of them navigable a confiderable way; but they are all fwallowed up by the river St. Lawrence, which is eighty miles wide at its mouth, and in its courfe forms a vari ty of bays, harbours, and iflands; the most pleafant and fruitful of which is the Ifland of Orleans, juft mentioned, a little below Quebec, the foil of which is excellent; and being well improved, produces in abundance all the kinds of grain and vegetables common to the climate, it extending twenty-one miles in length, and three or four in breadth. The French, while in poffeflion of this province, induftrioufly exaggerated the difficulties and dangers attending the navigation of this river; but fince the Englift poffeffed the country, the utmost attention has been beflowed to form accurate charts of it, and to give every kind of affiftance to the safe navigation of it. In executing thefe defigns the great captain Cook was for fomime employed, before he became a circumnavigator, in performing which his great abilities were firfl discovered, and the foundation laid for his future fame.

The land in general on both fides of the river is low and level; but oppo. te to Quebec are two confiderable mountains, called the Lady Mountains, which run from thence S. W. through the continent of the country of the Creek Indians, on the N. part of the Two Floridas, in one con inned ridge and wherever rivers pats through them, they rife very fleep on each fide of their common height. This ridge of mountains is called the Apalachian-hills.

The country affords plenty of ftage, elks, bears, foxes, martins, ferrets, weazels, Squirrels, hares, rabbits, and other animals.

The elk here is near as large as a hoife, but refembles the deer, and, like it, annually renews its horns. The Indians have a great veneration for this animal, and imagine that to dream of it portends good fortune and long life. The elks delight in cold countries, feeding upon grafs in fummer, and mofs-buds, &c. in winter when they herd together. It is dangerous to approach very near this animal when be is hunted, as he fometimes turns furioufly on his purfuers, and tramples them to death. To prevent this the

hunter throws his cloathes to him, and while the deluded animal spends his fury on these the man takes proper measures to dispatch him.

The wild-cats are great enemies to the elk; and notwithflanding their being much inferior in fize, often make a prey of him: for he has no other way to difengage himself from them but by plunging into the water.

The Indians fcarcely undertake any thing with greater folemnity than hunting the bear; and an alliance with a noted bear-hunter, who has killed feveral in one day, is more eagerly fought for than that of one who has rendered himself famous in war; this chafe fupplying them both with food and raiment, The bears lodge, during the winter, either in hollow trees or caves; and as they lay up no provifions, have no food during that feafon.

The bear is not naturally fierce, except when wounded or pinched with hunger. They run themfelves very poor in the month of July; and it is fomewhat dangerous to meet them till their hunger is fatisfied, and they recover their flesh, which they do very fuddenly. They are fond of grapes, and most kinds of fruit. When provifions are fcarce in the woods, they venture out among the fettlements, and make great havock of the Indian corn, and fometimes kill the fwine. Their chief weapons are their forepaws, with which they will prefently hug to death any animal they feize upon.

The funk, which has been improperly called the pule-cat, but which it no way resembles, is called by the Indians "the flinking beast," on account of his emiting a difagreeable fmell to a confiderable diftance, when purfued or disturbed. It is about the fize of a finall cat, has fhining hair of a grey colour, with two white lines that form an oval on his back. The fur of this animal, with that of the ermin, otter, and martin, make up what is called the fmall peltry.

The ermin is about the fize of the fquirrel, its far is extremely white, its tail long, and the tip of it as black as jet.

The martin or fable, lives principally among the mountains; is as long as a common cat, but very fiender: its fur is fine and valuable.

The mufk-rat refembles the beaver in every part except its tail, which is round like that of a rat. One of thefe animals weighs about five or fix ponnds. During the fummer-feafon the male and female keep togethers but feparate at the approach of winter; and each feeks a fhelter in fome hollow tree, without laying up any provifions.

The foxes here are of various colours, as black, grey, red, and white ; thefe, by their craft and cunning, make great havoc among the water-fow!

in the lakes and rivrrs.

The country abounds with a vast variety of fowl, and the rivers and lakes are well ftored with falmon, cels, and a multitude of various kinds of other 6th.

Quebec, the capital of Canada, feated about three hundred miles N. of Bofton, in New England, is a handfome and large city, ftrongly fortified. The harbour flanked with two ballions, which at high tides are almost level with the water. A little above one of them is a deini-baftion, which is partly taken out of the rock; and above it, on the fide of the gallery of the fort. is a battery of twenty-five pieces of cannon: above this is a fquare fort called the citadel, and the ways from one fortification to another are difficult to pafs. To the left of the harbour, on the fide of the road, are large batteries of cannon, and fome mortars. It is encompaffed with walls, and has a caftle on the brow of the hill, about forty fathoms above the town;