NOVA SCOTIA.*
THE main land of North America was discovered by CABOT, in 1497; and from his description there is every reason to believe that Nova Scotia was the point that he first visited. Its shores were seen by va- rious other voyagers, but it was not until more than eighty years after that any attempt was made to colonize them. In June 1583, Sir HUMPHREY GILBERT sailed from England, under a patent granted by ELIZABETH, which empowered him "to discover, occupy, and people such portions of it as were not at the time possessed by a Christian people." GILBERT took formal possession under this patent, and a short time afterwards set out on his return to England ; but his ves- sel foundered on the homeward voyage, and all hands perished. In 1607, SirJOHN GILBERT, brother to HUMPHREY, made an attempt to follow up the discoveries of the original patentee, by a settlement on the Kennebee ; but he was then advanced in years, and fell a victim to the severities of the first winter he encountered in the New World ; whereupon the colony grew disheartened, broke up, and returned to England. The first attempt of the French was made in 1598, when a small colony was planted on the miserable island, or rather reef, of Cape Sable. This colony soon came to an end. In 1604, CHAMP- LAIN, the founder of Quebec, a Monsieur POUBRONCOURT, and a Monsieur DE MONTS sailed from Havre de Grace, to make another at- tempt. After coasting along the east shores, the squadron entered the bay of Fundy, and being hurried by the flood-tide through what is now called the Gut of Digby, into the noble harbour formed by the mouth of the Annapolis river, POUBRONCOURT was so charmed with the place, that he determined to establish himself there ; and having received a grant of the surrounding district from HENRY the Fourth, he laid in the town of Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal) the founda- tion of the first permanent settlement of British North America. This ancient and not uninteresting town has now dwindled to a village of some three hundred souls : its moats are filled up, its walls crumbled down, and nothing remains of its former character but the imperishable beauty of its scenery. The famous fort of Louisburg, which stands, or rather stood, with in the limits of Nova Scotia, is now a pretty fishing station. Time, more formidable than the most powerful of its warlike assailants, has "broken down its walls and destroyed its pleasant houses," and made its once bustling streets "like the top of a rock— a place to spread nets upon." Acadia, as the French denominated Nova Scotia, after numerous struggles for superiority, was finally ceded to England by the treaty of 1713. The most remarkable event in its history, since that period, was the expulsion of the French settlers, in 1755. These poor people, when the Peninsula fell into the hands of the British, agreed to take the oath of allegiance to their .new Sovereign, if a clause were introduced into it providing that they should not be called on to bear arms against their former compatriots the French, or allies, the Indians. This was conceded by the resident • Letters from Nova Scotia, oy copula Moron), .Londons 1830. Governor, but refused by the Ministry at home. The colonists still held out ; and the discussion, without being absolutely put to rest on either side, was allowed to slumber for forty years. In 1755, it was resolved to banish the whole of these innocent people from their homes, and the resolution was put in force with the most heartless severity. The orders of Government, as announced to a thousand of the Aeadians who had by a ruse collected together in the church of Grand Pre, were, " that their lands and tenements, cattle of all kinds, and• live stock of all sorts, were forfeited to the Crown with all other their effects, saving their money and household goods, and that they themselves were to be removed from the province." The scene of the banishnient of these people, is thus desciibed by the latest historian of Nova Scotia.* " The prisoners were drawn up six deep ; and the young men, one hundred and sixty-one in number, were ordered to go first on board of the vessels. This they instantly and peremptorily refused to do, declaring that they would not leave their parents ; but expressed a willingness to comply with the order provided they were.perinitted to embark with their families. This request was immediately rejected, and the troops were ordered to fix bayonets and ad- vance towards the prisoner—sa motion which had the effect of producing obedience on the part of the young men, who forthwith commenced their march. The road from the chapel to the shore, just one mile in length, was crowded with women and children ; who, on their knees, greeted them as they passed with their tears and their blessings ; while the prisoners ad- vanced with slow and reluctant steps, weeping, praying, and singing hymns. This detachment was followed by the seniors, who passed through the same scene of sorrow and distress. In this manner was the whole male part of the population of the district of Minas put on board the five transports, stationed in the river Gaspereaux : each vessel being guarded by six non-commissioned officers, and eighty privates. As soon as the other vessels arrived, their wives and children followed, and the whole were transported from Nova- Scotia. The haste with which these measures were carried into execution did not admit of these preparations for their comfort, which, if unmerited by their disloyalty, were at least due in pity to the severity of their punishment. The hurry, confusion, and excitement, connected with the embarkation, had scarcely subsided, when the provincials were appalled at the work of their own hands. The novelty and peculiarity of their situation could not but force itself upon the attention of even the unreflecting soldiery; stationed in the midst of a beautiful and fertile country, they suddenly found themselves with- out a foe to subdue, and without a population to protect. The volumes of smoke, which the half-expiring embers emitted, while they marked the site of the peasant's humble cottage, bore testimony to the extent of the work of destruction. For several successive evenings the cattle assembled round the smouldering ruins, as if in anxious expectation of the return of their masters ; while all night long the faithful watch-dogs of the Neutrals howled over the scene of desolation, and mourned alike the hand that had fed, and the house that had sheltered them."
The genius of the French and English have not failed to display themselves in their choice of settlements in Nova Scotia. The for- mer, an agricultural people,- have been chiefly guided in the selection of a site for their colonies by the excellence of the soil. "'We almost invariably find," says Captain Mooasom, "the remains of the old French forts—the most authentic tokens of original Acadian settle- ment—surrounded by, or at least in the neighbourhood of, a fertile district, where the prospects of agricultural produce afford a tolera- bly certain return for the outlay and labour bestowed upon clearing the forests." The choice of the English, on the other hand, has been chiefly influenced by the capabilities that the spot fixed on possessed for commercial enterprize,—a central position and ready access being the first requisites. The harbour of Halifax is said to have been ac cidentally discovered, by a French vessel which sought to escape the pursuit of an English squadron. The town was founded in 1749, under the auspices of the Earl of HALIFAX, whence its name was derived. A settlement was at the same time formed on the opposite side of the inlet ; which, however, was almost immediately broken up by a hostile attack of the Indians, in which all the settlers of Dart- mouth, with one Or two exceptions, were massacred: t The popula- tion of Halifax now amounts to about fourteen thousand souls, of which the garrison constitutes about one-eighth. The town is clean, and even handsome : a very/ handsome town-hall has recently been built, of hewn stone. It is from the appearance of the land in the neighbourhood of Hali- fax, that the unfavourable opinion of it throughout the peninsula has been, for the most part, although very inconsiderately formed. Captain Mooasom's book is chiefly entitled to praise for disabusing the people of England of this popular error. The fact seems to be, that a great part of the soil of Nova Scotia is in every respect as good as the soil of the United States. Equally erroneous notions have been entertained of the climate. It is true, the winter is severe ; and, were we to trust to the indications of the thermometer alone, it would appear all but into- lerable. But Captain MOORSOM is not the fool who has remarked, that in calm, clear weather, a very low temperature may be borne without the slightest feeling of inconvenienee4 From a valuable table in the appendix to this volume, it appears that the mean temperature, from May to October 1828, varied from 54 to 70 of Fahrenheit. There was some frost during the nights in the beginning of May and in the end of October. In the six winter months, the mean, temperature ranged from 23 to 43. The glass in September rose as high as 85, and in February it fell to 3 minus. The west winds were to the east as 5 to 2, and the north to the south as 91 to 8. Only 57 days of rain and 14 of snow occurred during the whole year; and from these may be deducted 24, on which the ram and snow fell between sunset and sunrise. The foggy days were 28, the fine 184, and the cloudy 83. These facts indicate a climate somewhat warmer and somewhat colder in its extremes, but, taken as a whole, much drier and pleasanter than that of a large portion of England.
Haliburton.
t One of these was yet alive when Captain Moorsom's Letters were written (1828.) Hewes,' child at the time of the massacre, and was saved by creeping under a bed. Captain Parry noticed this fact during his winter's residence on Ide.ITille Island, and Clarke, in his Northern Tour, liktwiseadverts to it. The public taxes of Nova Scotia are wholly taxes of the Custom- house, the only internal government tax is a small quit-rent of two shillings per hundred acres of ground$ The increase of population has been of late years very remarkable. In 1817, the population of Nova Scotia amounted to but 82,000 ; in 1827 it had risen to 124,000, being an increase of above 50 per cent. in ten years. As the ques- tion of emigration is at present agitated with a view to a practical solution of its advantages and difficulties, we look on the information of Captain MOORSOM touching a part of the British dominions which in a sense may be said to be at our very doors, as exceedingly vain, able and interesting. The northern and north-western parts of the peninsula of Nova Scotia contain the best land ; and yet, from a com- bination of circumstances, they have been but little attended to ; while the labour and capital of the settlers have been lavished on the comparatively rocky and sterile soils of the south and east.
" The north-western agricultural division comprises part of Shelburne, the entire counties of Annapolis, King's, and Hants, the district of Catches. ter, and part of County Cumberland.
"The land in this division is of three descriptions,—upland, intervale, and marsh; each of which presents great variety, in the nature and quality of its soil. You, who have been accustomed to the broad valleys in the midland counties of England, where the upland swell scarce differs in appearance from the soil that is found on the lower grounds, will hardly apprehend the marked distinction that is made in this country between upland and intervale. I can-, not explain this distinction more clearly, than by supposing, for the sake of illustration, the waters to have been elevated in former years some twenty feet higher than they are at present. The streams which are now fifty yards', in breadth, would then have exceeded five hundred ; and in the revolution of ages, the finer particles brought down from above would have formed a rich alluvial bed of this breadth beneath the surface. Suppose the water-level to have been suddenly lowered, and this bed becomes the intervale in question. Intervale is hardly ever exposed to such accidental floods as those which fre- quently occur during hay or harvest-time in some of the vales of England." " Marshland is of two kinds: one is usually called salt-marsh ; the other dyked-marsh. The former is common, both on the east and south-west shores of the province, and is nothing more than a flat surface of spongy soil, overflowed at spring-tides, and covered with a rank glass highly impregnated with saline particles. Upon the better marshes of this kind, a coarse hay is made and stacked by the farmers, in order to he drawn to the barn when the' snow comes. This hay is found of great benefit, as alterative food for cattle durima* the winter. ',Dyked marsh owes its formation to a natural phenomenon, which ap- pears to have been operating for ages on the upper shores of the Bay of Fundy. The tide of this singular bay, rushing with vast impetuosity through the narrow necks of Cape Split and Chignecto, carries along with it fine loamy particles, which accumulate at every step of its farther progress up the various inlets, till its waves assume the appearance of what Napoleon used to call the fifth element,—a sort of compound between water and mud. As the tide recedes, these particles are precipitated and left behind, and is course of time a succession of layers raises the surface of the land as high as the usual rise of spring-tides : as soon as this has been effected, a hank of 'earth is thrown up to prevent any farther overflow ; and if it he necessary to carry this bank across a water-channel, or the mouth of a small river, where pro- bably a large tract of marsh will be reclaimed, all the able hands in the neigh- bourhood unite in the operation."
" About Annapolis, we first meet with dyked marsh, which is not, however, equal in quality to that higher up the bay shores. Annapolis River is bor- dered by large tracts of excellent intervale, of which advantage is taken for pasturing cattle. The breeding of horses is also much attended to in this county. An unbroken ridge of excellent upland, from three to seven miles in breadth, extends from Digby Gut to Cape Blomidon ; the soil is a strong loam, varied with clay, sand, "and some gravel. In the lower parts of Wilmot and Aylesford townships, a sandy soil prevails, and considerable tracts re- main uncultivated ; but in Horton and Cornwallis, abundance of excellent upland and dyked marsh are met with, which continue round the foot of the Horton mountains as far as Windsor and Newport. The district of Colchester presents excellent upland and intervale, together with some good dyked marsh on the shores of the Basin of Mines. At Truro, the soil becomes a fine red sand mixed with gravel and some clay. The northern and western parts of County Cumberland consist almost entirely of dyked marsh laid out in pasture, amid which rise gentle upland swells, presenting a soil of fine loamy clay. The middle of this county is occupied by the eobequid Moun- tains, a broad range of hills composed of a strong, though stony soil, arid co- vered with remarkably fine timber: upon these hills cultivation has as yet made but very partial advances.
" The head-quarters of Ceres and Pomona, in this province, are undoubt- edly established in the townships of Cornwallis, Horton, and Windsor. The soil of these three townships is almost equally rich : but Cornwallis produces the heaviest crops, in proportion to the quantity of land under cultivation. The uplands of Windsor consist of a red sandy loam, intermixed with a good deal of clay and abundance of marl: a substratum of gypsum occurs through- out the township, and in many places protrudes to the Surface. In Corn- wallis and Horton, the soil is more sandy, the marl is of less frequent occur- rence, and there is little or no gypsum. I have often wished, while passing through these extensive districts from Windsor, even beyond Annapolis, that those who condemn this country as sterile and unproductive, could have been by my side to scent the fragrance that pervades tha whole atmosphere ; to mark the variegated sheet of apple-blossom and clover flower spread over the face of the country in spring ; and to revel in the abundance of fruits which cluster upon the trees in every cottage earden in autumn, like so many Oases among the waving crops of grain and Indian corn."
Much of this sort of useful information is to be found in Captain Mooasom's work. With whatever eyes we may be inclined to look on Nova Scotia, that the people of the United States do not regard it as unimportant, is evident from the following remarkable observation, which closes a criticism on the subject in the last number of the North Amer, icon Review.
"It is very desirable that the people of the United States and of the British Provinces should become better acquainted, and be led to take a more lively interest in each other. Their fathers were united by the bond of a common country; and it needs no spirit of prophecy to foresee that the time must come, when, in the natural course of events, the English colonies on our borders will be peaceably dissevered from the remote mother country, and the whole continent, from the Gulf of Mexico to the coast of Labrador, pre- sent the unbroken outline of one compact empire of friendly and confede- rated states."
t. The total quantity yet ungranted, amounts to about four millions of acres, of which one half is arable.
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