mediate light about half way from the lantern to the base. The river Clyde rises upwards of forty miles in the interior, in an extensive chain of lakes, and at its junction with the sea forms two harbours, called Cape Negro Harbours. It is said to be one of the most beautiful rivers in Nova Scotia. The lands surrounding the lakes and head of this river abound with valuable timber. Barrington township lies between Shelburne and Argyle, and includes Cape Sable Island. It was granted in 1760 to 200 proprietors from New England. It contains 100,000 acres, a great part of which is barren and bog. The soil is rocky and stubborn; but in several places, when well tilled and manured, yields abundant crops, particularly of grass. The climate is much milder than in the more eastern districts of the province, and fog prevails in June, July, and August. It was originally inhabited by the Acadians. The principal occupation of the inhabitants is the Shore and Labrador fishery, which yields large quantities of fish for export to the West Indies. In front of this township is Sable Island. Another island forms Cape Sable, the most southern point of Nova Scotia. Barrington Harbour is shoal, but safe and convenient for small vessels; at the head of it is the inconsiderable village of Barrington. The inhabitants of the township are scattered along its coast, the better to take advantage of the fishery. Argyle township lies between Barrington and Yarmouth, and is bounded on the south and west by the sea. It includes all the islands in front of it, and contains about 120,000 acres. It contains some extensive marshes, which, although not so valuable as those on the Minas Basin, afford several good situations for farming. The upland is generally stony and productive, but requires good tillage; the climate is temperate, varying from zero to eighty; the mean about forty-eight. Apples, plums, and cherries succeed well; and pears, peaches, and melons ripen. The production of potatoes and grass, rearing cattle, and making cheese and butter, are more attended to than the culture of grain. At the mouth of the Tusket river there are about 300 islands, called the Tuskets, many of which are well cultivated, and afford shelter and anchorage for small vessels. The river Tusket is navigable for boats thirty two miles from the sea, and for ships,-eight miles; the least depth during that space being sixteen feet, with good shelter and anchorage. About thirteen miles from the shore, and twenty-one miles west by north from Cape Sable, lies Seal Island. It is emphatically called the elbow of the Bay of Fundy. The American fishermen resort to it for wood and water. There are two Acadian settlements in this township, at Pubnico and Eel Brook. The principal harbour is Pubnico, from seven to twelve fathoms water, easy of access, and affording shelter to vessels entering the Bay of Fundy. Yarmouth township lies between Argyle and Clare (in Annapolis county), and contains 100,000 acres of land. The soil, productions, and climate are the same as those of Argyle. There are numerous lakes in these townships, upwards of eighty of which have been already explored, and it is intersected by several rivers. The face of the county is diversified, and the scenery beautiful. The principal harbour is Cape Fourche or Fourchon, which is large, well sheltered, and navigable for ships up to Yarmouth village. Chebogue river is navigable for seven miles from the sea, and at its mouth expands into a good harbour. The Acadians had several small settlements in this district; after their expulsion the township was granted, in 1767, to settlers from New England. It has always maintained a steady state of improvement, and promises, from its various local advantages, to become a place of considerable importance. The inhabitants are industrious and enterprising, and carry on a trade of some consequence both with England and the West Indies. There are in the township a court-house and a jail, four churches of several denominations, eighteen small school-houses, fourteen grist-mills, and upwards of 700 dwelling-houses. Yarmouth village and Melton are classed among the towns of the province. Yarmouth contains about 100 dwelling-houses, and there are nine trading establishments. Melton contains about thirty houses. The population of this county was, in 1817, 13,611; the census of 1827 gave the following results, both of population and produce. This is the only county in the province in which the population has not increased; a circumstance attributable, not to the want of a due natural VOL. II. G increase in the resident population, but to be ascribed to emigration, the Yarmouth ditto 3,133 295 2,611 42,701 2,408 4,345 220 3,722 7,817 1,456 10,039 115 4,798 114,692 5,022 Total county of Shelburne 12,018 319 10,039 20,752 5,986 17,429 445 9,062 308,250 12,293 Abstract of the Population, Cultivated Land, Agricultural Produce, and Live Stock of Nova Scotia, as per census taken in 1828. Population. Agricultural Produce and Live Stock. 269,897 13,790 227,948 19,977 538,903 25,286 30,196 46,548 92,976 4,530 29,464 43,534 24,122 62,246 194,902 876,546 40,397 3,117 33,146 334,163 10,577 1,359 3.276 53.917 3,507 5,410 26,309 385,478 21,549 Total (exclusive of Cape 86,668 123,808 292,130 12,952 110,776 174,653 71,904 152,836 449,400 3,358,390 163,170 Breton). Produce. CHAPTER III. Harbours-Roads-Canals-Climate-Productions, &c. of Nova Scotia. No country, in proportion to its extent, possesses a greater number of safe and commodious harbours than Nova Scotia. The whole line of coast, with the exception of a part in the Bay of Fundy, is almost one continued chain of bays and harbours, some of them forming as fine ports as any in the world. Halifax is one of the finest in America; accessible at all seasons of the year, remarkable for the facility of its entrance, and possessing safe anchorage for 1000 ships. Margaret's Bay is both safe and capacious, twelve miles in depth and from two miles, at its entrance, to six miles in width. Mahone Bay is equally extensive and safe, affording secure anchorage for ships of the line. Liverpool, a noble deep bay, having good anchorage for the largest ships. Shelburne Harbour is esteemed one of the best in America, as well on account of its easy access, as for its capacity and perfect security. Country Harbour is navigable and safe for the largest ships for ten miles from its entrance. Canseau forms an excellent harbour, affording safe and commodious anchorage for the largest ships; and Chedabucto Bay, twenty-five miles in length and fifteen in breadth, free from all obstructions, is navigable throughout for the largest ships, and affords secure shelter and anchorage in its several smaller harbours. These are but a few of the principal harbours on the Atlantic shore. In the gulf of St. Lawrence and the Straits of Northumberland there are also several noble harbours: Pictou Harbour, a beautiful and capacious basin; Wallace Bay, navigable for ships of the first class for more than six miles; and Pugwash Bay, the entrance about a quarter of a mile wide, leading into a noble basin, where the largest vessels can ride in perfect safety, and anchor within twenty yards of the shore. On the Bay of Fundy the principal harbours are Annapolis, with its two beautiful basins, and the outer port of Digby; the extensive basin of Minas, with its numerous minor harbours; and Chignecto Channel and Cumberland Basin, out of both of which branch off several smaller bays and harbours*. ROADS-CANALS. The roads of this province are, for a new country, inferior to none in America. The expense of their construction and repair has been provided for by annual votes of the legislature; the sum raised for "road service" is very considerable, being not less than 30,000l. a year. It forms nearly half the public expenditure of the province. The road from Halifax to Annapolis is very good, and kept in excellent repair, and a stage coach runs between these towns three times a week. This main-road crosses the counties of Halifax and Hants to Windsor, runs from thence to Kentville, and so on to Annapolis, parallel with the shore of the Bay of Fundy. Another road has been completed from Halifax to Annapolis in a direct line, traversing the interior of the province in that direction. A line of roads, commencing at Halifax, passes through all the townships on the southern and western shores, taking in Chester, Lunenburg, Liverpool, Guysboro, Shelburne, Barrington, Argyle, Yarmouth, Clare, and quite round through Weymouth and Digby to Annapolis. Again, good roads run from Halifax into the eastern districts of the province; viz. to Pictou, to Antigonish, to Guysboro, Crow Harbour, Cape Canseau, and the townships in that direction. Other excellent roads run from Halifax to Truro, the townships of Onslow and Londonderry, and the several townships of the county of Cumberland. Generally speaking, the road communications of the province are very good, and are every year extended and improved. * The position of Halifax, as well as of all the principal headlands and harbours on various parts of the coast, and in the gulf of St. Lawrence, have been most accurately determined by the direction and under the immediate command of Admiral Sir C. Ogle, whilst commanding on that station, by Messrs. J. Jones and other officers of distinguished scientific talents. A table of the latitudes and longitudes of such points will be found in the Appendix. The solicitude of the admiral in the execution of this important service has produced a degree of accuracy of the greatest advantage to the shipping interests employed on these coasts, as has been unequivocally acknowledged both by the colony and at home. |