24 February, in writing to President Matthews, at Sydney, C. B., he refers to Mr. Dodd, who wished a custom-house situation there. Calls him "a good old " man, well versed in business, attached to Government and those under whom " " he acts." (3.) Mr. Quarrel was appointed a member of council in Jamaica, as a reward for his care of the Maroons. 22 April, 1797. Sir J. Wentworth advises the Lords of the Treasury that he had drawn on them for £929 2s. Id. sterling, for subsistance of the people of St. Pierre and Miquelon. 46 (4.) In a letter 21 April. 1797, of his excellency Sir John Wentworth to the Duke of Clarence, he says of the Maroons : "From my observation of them, neither Jamaica, nor any other island. would be long at peace nor secure from insur"rection, were these people among them. In this country they can do no mate“rial harm, and I am convinced they will be an useful and faithful corps to oppose an invading enemy." "In fact they do not wish to live by industry, "but prefer war and hunting." They are divided into three tribes, jealous of each other. “One captain complains that he has not a well furnished house and " cellar to exercise hospitality, instead of which he must be content with a good "farm and land to cultivate. Another says, neither yams, bananas, cocoa, or “cayenne pepper, will grow on his farm. A third, that there are not any wild hogs to hunt." Thanks the Duke for recommending his nephew, capt. Apthorp, for promotion in the navy. Lady W. has been 52 days ill of fever. (5.) Nathaniel Ray Thomas was educated at Cambridge, U. S.; married Sarah Deering, of Boston,-had a large family of children. "When the war came on he was chose a mandamus counsellor, and being badly advised, accepted of it, " and went off with the regulars, and died at Halifax. His widow lives genteely "in that county on a farm." [From a letter Warwick, March 9, 1792, signed Catherine Green, published in New York Historical Magazine for August, 1860, A. 252, 253.] (6.) Just received from Quebec, and to be sold by A. Henry, The Trial of Daniel McLane, (In large octavo, containing 127 pages), for high treason, at the city of Quebec, in the province of Lower Canada, on friday, the 7th day of July, 1797. Price, 3s. (7.) [Lieut. Governor Sir J. Wentworth to Mr. Liston, 9 Dec'r., 1797.] "I beg leave to introduce my friend, Lawrence Hartshorne, esquire, a member of Assembly, and opulent merchant of this place. He is a worthy, loyal, excel lent, good man, highly respected and esteemed in this country. Permit me to entreat your favorable attention to him, which will much oblige," &c. (8.) LIST OF SHERIFFS APPOINTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY. [From Gazette of 31 October, 1797] Halifax-Lewis Wilkins, esq'r. Annapolis-Robert Dickson, esq'r. Lunenburg-Edward James, esq'r. King's county-John Thomas Hill, esq'r. Hants county-Benjamin Dewolf, esq'r. (9.) [Extract of a letter from Placentia, Newfoundland, 20 Dec'r., 1797.] "One of the transports with the Irish Brigades, bound to New York, is put in here. Capt. Kennedy and the officers are well. I think she will remain here this winter." (10.) I feel bound to correct an error. I stated Mr. Pyke to have been a native of Halifax, but have since ascertained that he was born in England, and came here when a child. CHAPTER XIV. 1798. The opening of this year was made melancholy by the sufferings of wrecked persons on our coasts. About christmas, 1797, a small schooner was lost on the bay of Fundy shores, near Wilmot. Three mutilated dead bodies were found on the bank, and three others who had been frozen to death in the woods after escaping from the water. Mr. Patrick McMaster, a merchant of Halifax, was one of the three who had been drowned, and a Mr. William Harris one of the frozen. - The brig Princess Amelia, capt. Wyatt, from London, was wrecked 9 November, 1797, on the south side of Sable island. On 14 December the schr. Hero, Thos. Cunningham, master, saw above 30 men on the island, making signals, but the tempestuous weather drove him off, and he arrived in great destitution and distress at Cole harbor, near Halifax, about new year, were he and his crew were received with the most generous humanity by Mr. Mundy, an aged person inhabiting a cottage there, who gave them all the provisions he had stored up for the use of his family through the winter, after which Cunningham put to sea again, leaving a written memorandum respecting the wrecked people on Sable island. When Sir John Wentworth got this information, (6 January, having consulted the council), he hired a schooner belonging to Liverpool, and sent her to the island with provisions, blankets and clothing, which the inhabitants of Halifax gave him to relieve the wrecked men. Meanwhile capt. Wyatt, with the hon, lieut. Cochrane, of the 7th regiment, and four of the crew, left the island in the long boat, which they had decked with canvas, and made one of our eastern harbors. The Liverpool schooner (Black Snake, captain Thomas Parker), left Halifax 12 January, and came back with the rest of the crew and passengers of the Princess Amelia, on the 28th. Some persons were left on the island during the winter to save property and assist vessels. The baggage and provisions had been saved from the brig, and a hut found on the island, by which means the lives of the people were saved. The conduct of Mundy as a man and a christian needs no comment. The courage of the Dundonald family is ever conspicuous. This young army officer exhibits it in joining the brave and experienced Wyatt in his winter voyage in the long boat; and we had an instance, some years since, when the son of the hero of a thousand sea-fights risked his life in an unsuccessful effort to save a much beloved young gentleman of Halifax from death in our harbor. On the 12 January, (friday), the body of lieut. Thos. Sharpe, one of those lost in November, in La Tribune, was found, and was buried with military honors on the 15th. At this period the British subjects who had the misfortune to become prisoners in the French West Indies, were said to have been very ill treated. Young and Jones, shipmasters, and Mr. Tidmarsh, supercargo, returned here in February from a prison in Guadaloupe, of which they complained; and capt. Peachey, 7th regiment, and Alexander Woodin, youngest son of John Woodin, esq'r., of Margaret's Bay, also a British officer, died in prison at Martinique. Such heavy snows fell, that the road from Halifax to Windsor had become impassable; but by the exertions of the magistrates and the people, in which the prince ordered the troops to assist, the way was cleared; and on the evening of sunday, 20 February, 35 cattle, that had been detained on their way for near a fortnight, reached town. 27 March. Sir John Wentworth writes to earl Balcarras, the governor of Jamaica, respecting the Maroons. He says that he had endorsed bills for their expence, which had been returned protested, -that their settlement here is acceded' to by the people, rather than desirable,'-they wish to go to Guadaloupe or Hispaniola. Offers have been made to remove them to the Southern States, viz., to Georgia. He suspects these offers, as by the laws of these States they cannot remain there. The officers and men of the Royal Nova Scotia regiment offer one week's pay, £199 12s. 10d., to the king, 'toward 'the public service, now menaced by bitter, cruel and wicked' 'enemies.' Captain Allan offers half his pay during the war. The inhabitants of Halifax subscribed for the same object near £4000, much of it being an annual gift during the war. Mr. Quarrel left for Jamaica, via Boston. He is described as a sensible, well-bred gentlemen. Sir John complains that the Maroons were kept in a state of discontent and hostility by a friend of Ochterlony here. He says to lord Balcarras that the expenditure on their account to December, 1797, was £10,695, and the amount of bills on the treasury £6,987 3s. 5d. sterling. The theatre was in full activity this winter, as we find a play advertised every week or two. The 6th regiment, or Irish brigade, was now stationed in this province. Part of them had wintered at Placentia, under capt. Patrick Jennings, who received an address before leaving, dated 28th of March, signed by the chief residents of that place. Among the names attached to it is that of the Rev'd. Edward Burke, the same, I conclude, who was afterwards R. C. clergyman at Halifax, and bishop in partibus in charge of the Catholic churches of Nova Scotia.-23 May, wednesday, Jonathan Sterns, esq'r., died. — 25th, James Stewart offered as candidate for the seat in assembly for Halifax county, then vacant; and on the 26th, he was sworn in solicitor general in place of deceased. Mr. Stewart, I believe, was son of Anthony Stewart, an eminent loyalist from one of the Southern states, of Scottish origin, who had settled in Halifax. Sir John Wentworth Friday, 8 June, the assembly met. opened the session with a speech, in which he stated that the revenue laws operate well. He says: "Great praise results" "to an extensive society, when their good conduct precludes "the necessity of many new laws." He praises the loyal" |