iron, with ropes, and setting poles. When loaded, they take their departure from La Chine, generally eight or ten together, that the crews may aid each other; and the time of performing the voyage to Kingston and back is about ten or twelve days; the distance being about 200 miles.

From twenty to thirty of these boats are kept in the service of the government, for transporting necessaries to the troops, stores for the engineer department, and presents of European manufacture to the Indian tribes.

The navigation of the Utawas, or Grand River, is performed in bark canoes in a direct course to St. Joseph, on Lake Huron, and thence to the new establishment called Kamanastigua, on Lake Superior.

The other principal towns and settlements are, Isle aux Noix, St. John, Chambly, and Sorel on the River Sorel or Richelieu; and Three Rivers, St. Suplice, St. Ann, and Sillery, on the St. Lawrence.

As the two great commercial towns, Quebec and Montreal, draw a considerable part of their supplies from the states contiguous to the great lakes, Lower Canada may be considered as of considerable importance in a commercial point of view to the United States.

NEW BRUNSWICK

Extends from Nova Scotia to Lower Canada, and from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the state of Maine, being about 180 miles long and 120 broad. This province being united with Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, and St. John's, in one military command subject to the governor of Lower Canada, it excites no great attention either in a civil or

military point of view. The soil and climate are somewhat assimilated to those of the state of Maine contiguous to it. There are a number of very extensive rivers in the interior, of which St. John's is the chief; and the soil is represented as being fertile, producing grain and grass in plenty. There are considerable fisheries on the coast and in the rivers, principally of cod fish, salmon, and herring. The inhabitants amount to about 75,000. Fredericktown is the capital. The principal commercial towns are St. Andrew's, St. John's, and Miramachi.*

This province is comparatively of little importance to the United States in a commercial point of view.

NOVA SCOTIA.

This is a large peninsula, extending from New Brunswick to the Atlantic, and is about 230 miles long by 110 broad. The country along the coast is rugged and stony, but there are some good spots of land in the interior, particularly in the western part of the province; and there are valuable mines of coal, limestone, plaster of Paris, and iron ore. The climate is more mild than that of Canada; but being in the vicinity of the Banks of Newfoundland, it is much exposed to fogs. The province is settled by French and British people, with a good many emigrants from New England. The population is probably about 100,000.

HALIFAX is the capital, and is advantageously situated on the west side of a spacious and commodious harbour, having an easy and safe entrance. It is built on the de

* In the month of October, 1825, a fire ravaged the woods, destroying many houses, cattle, and the lives of 1 or 200 persons.

clivity of a hill, the summit of which is about 320 feet above the level of the sea, and it is laid out into squares, the streets crossing one another at right angles. The country round the town is quite sterile, the land being rocky, and the soil generally unfit for cultivation; but its convenience as a port causes it to be pretty well supplied with provisions. It is occupied by the British as a naval station, which renders it an object of great importance to the United States. The population is about 15,000.

LIVERPOOL is built on Liverpool Bay, and is a commercial settlement of very considerable importance, containing about 200 houses and 1000 inhabitants, the greater part of whom are from the United States.

The other principal towns are Annopolis, which has of late carried on a great trade with Eastport, in Maine, Onslow, Pictou, Truro, Windsor, Yarmouth, and Shelburn; which last was remarkable as being the great resort of British adherents during the revolutionary war. In 1783 it contained 600 families; but it has of late declined, the greater part of its inhabitants having returned to the United States.

Halifax being a free port for the vessels of the United States, there is a considerable trade with that country.

ST. JOHN, OR PRINCE EDWARD.

This island is situated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, about 30 miles to the westward of Cape Breton; and on the north of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, from which it is divided by a narrow strait. It is about 110 miles long and 30 broad; and, being rich and fertile, contains about 5000 inhabitants. It is therefore of more

importance than Cape Breton; but the climate is cold, damp, and foggy, which will for ever prevent it from being thickly settled. The chief towns are Princetown, Richmond, Charlotte, and Stukely.

To the north and east of these islands, there is a group called the Magdalen Islands, which, being entirely unsettled, merit no particular notice.

We may also observe here, that the large island of ANTICOSTI, situated at the outlet of the River St. Lawrence, is entirely barren and uninhabited.

CAPE BRETON.

This island is situated between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and extends from north latitude 45° 32′ to 470 50', and from east longitude 15° 30' to 17° 18', answering to 59° 42′ and 61° 30′ west longitude from London. It is about 100 miles long by 80 broad; but the soil and climate are so disadvantageous, that the inhabitants are very few, probably not above 3000; chiefly attached to the fisheries.

The face of the country is covered with numerous lakes and forests. The soil has, after various experiments, been found totally unfit for agriculture. Except the hilly parts, the surface of the ground appears to have but little solidity, being every where covered with moss and water. The climate is exceedingly cold, foggy, and unwholesome. There are some veins of coal in the island; but, with the exception of timber, it can scarcely boast a single vegetable production of value. The principal towns are Sidney and Louisburg.

NEWFOUNDLAND.

This island is but partially exhibited on the map. The part that we see on it is situated on the east side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, between north latitude 47° 43′ and 51° 50, and 18 30 and 22 of east longitude from Washington; answering to between 55° and 58° 30′ west longitude from London. The part exhibited is about 270 miles long by about 120 miles broad, and contains an area of 31,200 square miles, and about 10,000 inhabitants.

The face of the country, as far as it is known, is hilly and covered with forests. It is watered by several rivers, and has many large and commodious harbours. The soil, as far as it has been explored, is rocky and barren. The climate is exceedingly disagreeable; the cold is severe, and of long duration; and in summer the heat, though it continues but for a short time, is violent. The coasts are extremely subject to fogs, attended with almost continual storms of sleet and snow; and, excepting a short time in summer, the sky is generally overcast with thick clouds. The only vegetable production of any importance is timber, which is abundant, and is a considerable article of commerce. But the island is chiefly valuable on account of the cod-fisheries on the banks in its neighbourhood. The chief towns are St. John, Placentia, and Bonavista.

BERMUDAS.

These islands are situated about 800 miles from the American continent, and about an equal distance between