CHAPTER II.

Division of the Province into Counties, Districts, and Townships.

NOVA SCOTIA is divided into ten counties, including Cape Breton, and the counties are subdivided into districts and townships, as follows:

The townships are not all equal in extent. The inhabitants meet for the purpose of voting money for the support of their poor, like an English parish, and the principal townships send representatives to the House of Assembly.

The county of Halifax is the largest in the province, and stretches quite across it, from the Atlantic Ocean to Cumberland Straits. On the east of it lies the county of Sydney, on the west the counties of Hants and Lunenburg, and on the north the county of Cumberland; the whole shore on the south is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, and a part of the north by Northumberland Straits. It is divided into three districts, and contains ten townships. The districts are Halifax District, containing the townships of Halifax, Dartmouth, Preston, and Lawrence Town; the district of Colchester, containing the townships of Truro, Onslow, and Londonderry, besides several settlements not yet incorporated into townships, as Economy, Shubenacadie, Stewiack, Tatmagouche, &c.; and the district of Pictou, containing the townships of Pictou, Egerton, and Maxwelton. The division of this county into districts seems to have pretty closely followed the natural division of the soil and face of the country. All the southern part of the county, which lies upon the

Atlantic, is high, broken, rocky land, interspersed here and there with some good strips, but in general barren and unfit for cultivation. The same remark applies also to all that extensive tract of country surrounding the Great Lake, and extending several miles both east and west. But the country extending from the Great Lake northward to the head of the Minas Basin, and on both its shores, is altogether of a different quality. The land is low and fertile, adapted to agricultural purposes, filled with limestone and gypsum, and affording indications of extensive beds of coal and other minerals. This character applies to the country extending along and for several miles to the east and west of the Shubenacadie River. Again, that part of the county bordering on Northumberland Straits, and the whole district of Pictou, is every where diversified with hill and dale, intersected by streams and brooks, which form several rivers. The soil is generally rich and capable of high cultivation, and this district is in fact one of the best cultivated in the province. About half way between Halifax and the Minas Basin occurs an extensive chain of lakes, the principal of which is called the Great Lake. The Shubenacadie, the largest river in the province, takes its rise in those lakes. The point where it flows from the Great Lake is 21 miles from Halifax ; and thence to Cobequid, or Cumberland Bay, at the head of the Minas Basin, where it discharges itself, is about 55 miles. It is a mile in width at its mouth, receives the tide for about ten miles, and is securely navigable for about thirty more. Its banks are generally precipitous, fringed and overhung with beautiful trees. In its course it receives several tributary rivers of no inconsiderable magnitude, the principal of which, in this county, are the Stewiack, St. Andrew's, and Gray's rivers. The navigation of this noble river has been completed, and, by means of the Shubenacadie Canal, continued quite to Halifax, whereby sea-going ships, drawing eight feet water, can be navigated from the Minas Basin (head of the Bay of Fundy) quite across the province to Halifax Harbour on the Atlantic Ocean.

The harbour of Halifax is one of the finest in America. A thousand vessels may ride in it in safety. It is accessible at all seasons of the year, and easy of approach. It is situate in latitude 44° 39′ 26′′ north and longitude 63° 37′ 48′′ west from Greenwich. It lies nearly north and south,

about sixteen miles in length, and terminates in a beautiful sheet of water called Bedford Basin, within which are ten square miles of safe anchorage. The entrance is marked by Sambro Head, on which a lighthouse was erected soon after the settlement was established. Three miles from Halifax, near the mouth of the harbour, lies M'Nabb's Island, on the western side of which stands Sherbrooke Tower, a circular stone battery, on the top of which is a lantern. This island forms two entrances to the harbour-the eastern passage, which is only used by small vessels, and the western, which is used by all ships bound to and from Halifax. Immediately opposite the town is George Island, which is regularly fortified, and forms the chief defence of the place.

The town of Halifax is, in point of extent and population, the third town in British North America. It was founded, upon the first permanent settlement of the English in this province, by Governor Cornwallis in 1749. It is situated on the western side of the harbour, on the declivity of a hill 240 feet above the level of the sea. There are eight streets running through the town, intersected by fifteen others, laid out with regularity, some of them paved, and the others macadamized. The town and suburbs are upwards of two miles in length, and about half a mile in width. It has been very much improved within the last five years. There are meat, vegetable, and fish markets, all extremely well supplied. The fish, in point of quality, variety, and cheapness, may vie with any in the world. There are two episcopal churches, two presbyterian, two baptist, one Roman catholic, one methodist, and one Sandaminian, chapels. The catholic chapel is an elegant spacious structure, built of freestone. Amongst the public buildings is the Governmenthouse, built of freestone, situate at the south end of the town, and occupied by the lieutenant-governor of the province for the time being. The province building is the best-built and handsomest edifice in North America. It is built of freestone, and is 140 feet in length, seventy in width, and forty-two in height. It contains all the provincial offices-secretary's, surveyor-general's, treasurer's, prothonotary's, collector's of customs, &c.; also the council-chamber, House of Assembly room, and superior courts. It is situate in the centre of the town, within a square, which is enclosed by an iron railing. The Court-House is a plain brick building, in which

the courts of common pleas and sessions of the peace are held, and in which there is an exchange-room for the merchants. There is also a Bridewell or House of Correction, and a poor-house. Dalhousie College, established in 1820, is a spacious and handsome structure, situate at the end of the old military parade.

Halifax has been always the principal naval station of British North America; and here is a king's dock-yard, which is enclosed towards the town by a high stone wall, and contains within it all the requisite workshops, warehouses, and stores, besides commodious residences for the officers and servants belonging to the yard; it is on a more extensive footing than any in America. In the rear of the dock-yard, on a height that overlooks the works and harbour, is the admiral's house, a plain stone building, occupied by the senior naval officer on the station. There are also a residence for the military commandant, two barracks, and a military hospital.

Halifax contained, in 1790, 700 houses and 4000 inhabitants; in 1828, 1580 houses and 14,439 inhabitants. It is the seat of government, the principal emporium of the trade of the province, and returns two members to the House of Assembly. Besides Dalhousie College, there are a grammar-school, with an endowment of 2007. from the province, three large schools on the national and Lancasterian plan, and several common schools. There are no fewer than six weekly newspapers published, and it has several charitable institutions. The manufactures carried on in Halifax are still in an imperfect state: they consist of a sugarrefinery; distilleries of rum, gin, and whiskey; breweries of porter and ale; and factories of soap, candles, leather, flour, and cordage, and a few other minor articles. Halifax was declared a free warehousing-port in 1826, and its trade is very considerable. In 1828, the exports, exclusive of the coasting-trade, amounted to 246,8527. in 553 vessels, containing 61,511 tons, and navigated by 3323 men; and the imports 733,3927. in 544 vessels, containing 62,829 tons, and navigated by 3340 men. Nearly the whole of the import and better than one-half of the export trade of the province are carried on at Halifax. There were owned at Halifax in 1828 seventy-three square-rigged vessels and seventy-seven schooners; of which seventy were employed in the West India trade,