UPPER CANADA.

Extent, boundaries, and population.

THIS province is 525 miles from north to south, lying between lat. 42° 30′ and 50° north; bounded south by a part of the United States, east by Lower Canada, north by New-Britain, west by unexplored forests. The inhabitants are reckoned at 40,000.

Divisions. It is divided into nineteen counties, which are subdivided into townships, nine miles wide and twelve long.

Towns. Newark stands on Niagara river, as it enters lake Ontario; lat. 43° north. Here are a gaol, a court house, printing office, and two houses for public worship; one for episcopalians, and one for presbyterians.

Queenstown stands 7 miles above Newark, and is a place of great trade, receiving the furs which are collected for 1500 miles back. York stands on a harbour of Ontario, and is the seat of government. Lat. 43° 45′ north.

It

Rivers and springs.-Lake Ontario pours forth the St. Lawrence, one of the noblest rivers in the world. This stream is never affected by rains nor melting snows. is not known to rise or fall six inches. Ottawas is a large river, which falls into the St. Lawrence, 9 miles from Montreal. Niagara conveys the waters of Erie into Ontario. Seven miles above the falls, the banks are 310 feet high, gradually falling to the cataract, where they are only 147, composed of ragged rocks, hanging over the rapid torrent. The perpendicular fall is 157 feet, about half a mile wide. The sight of the rushing, foaming flood is terrible. The vapour ascends in a sable eloud, and rainbows are formed. The noise is sometimes heard 40 or 50 miles; the roar is tremendous; the earth trembles. On a creek 15 miles from Newark, is a salt spring, from which salt is made. Several other salt springs are found in the province.

Lakes.-Lake Ontario, Erie, Huron, and Superior, a line through which forms the north boundary of the United States, lie partly in this province. Grand river pours the waters of the Rice lake into Ontario. Lakes Nipissing and Tomiscaning convey their waters to the St. Lawrence by the Ottawas river.

Soil. The country is rich and level. In the neighbourhood of Kingston, the farmers live as well as in NewEngland. The lands, between lake Huron and Erie, have produced wheat 18 years in succession without manure. Near Superior and the lake of the Woods, are extensive plains, destitute of wood, excepting a few scattered tufts of trees. Large herds of buffaloes here find rich pasturage.

Government. Their civil privileges are great. There is no land tax nor quit rent, excepting for the expenses of the county, and other smaller corporations. The mother country bears the whole expense of the civil establishment, and pays for surveying the lands for the people.

Curiosities.-A spring two miles above Niagara falls emits a gas, or inflammable air, which, being confined in a tube, will make water boil in 15 minutes. In other parts of the lake near the shore, are similar springs. Near Burlington bay is a volcano where the Indians sacrifice to the bad spirits. They say the eruptions are frequent, and the noise like thunder.

Religion. This extensive country, for the greater part, is destitute of the gospel ministry, and of course religion is in a deplorable state. A few of the largest towns have ministers; but methodism, inculcated by travelling preachers, is the prevailing religion. These preachers are illiterate, rude in their manners, and many of them exceptionable in their lives. Very few are catholics.

NEWFOUNDLAND.

THIS island lies on the east of the gulf of St. Lawrence, between lat. 46° 45′ and 46' north, and between long. 15° 20′ and 18° 30' east,* separated from Labrador by the straits of Belle-Isle, being 381 miles long, and from 40 to 287 broad. Fogs, clouds, and almost perpetual storms, envelop this cold and barren island. Its principal importance rises from the fishery on its coasts; which is supposed to increase the national stock of England 300,000l. per annum. The population in 1805 was 24,922, of whom 8035 were Roman catholics. In its export trade it employed 467 vessels, containing * Payne's Map.

52,997 tons. Of cod fish it exported 587,928 quintals. In its import trade were employed 550 vessels containing 59,736 tons.

CAPE BRETON.

THIS island lies between lat. 45° 28′ and 47° north, and between 13° 31′ and 15° 22′ east long. and 45 leagues east of Halifax. It is 109 miles long, and from 20 to 48 broad, separated from Nova-Scotia by the Gut of Canso. The Bras D'Or is a large piece of water, which nearly intersects the island, leaving a portage of only a quarter of a mile, between the lake and ocean. A number of large rivers empty themselves into this lake.

Government. The legislative power is in the hands of a lieutenant-governor and council, appointed by the king of England. All officers are appointed by the crown. Population and towns.-On the island are about 1000 inhabitants.* Sidney is the seat of government,, where is a garrison of 200 men.

Mines. Near the mouth of Spanish river are coal mines; 6000 chaldrons are dug annually. In one of the mines a fire has long been burning, which cannot be quenched.

Trade.-Peltry and furs, some of which are purchased from the Micmac Indians, a tribe on the island, coal, and fish, are their principal exports. While in the hands of the French, the fishery was more valuable to them, than the mines of Peru or Mexico to Spain.†

NOVA-SCOTIA.

NOVA-SCOTIA, a great peninsula of North America, between lat. 43° 30′ and 48° 4′N. and long. 61° and 70′ W. from London; being 317 miles long, and 254 broad. An isthmus unites it to the continent on the west. West of this rises the Gaspereau, a considerable stream, which has swept dams and mills from its channel. As it approaches the isthmus it divides; the south branch falls into Grand lake, which unites its waters with the bay of Fundy; the other branch falls into the waters connected with the gulf of St. Lawrence to the N. It is but 3 miles between navigable waters on the two branches. This peninsula is divided into two provinces. * Pinkerton. † Charlevoix.

PROVINCE OF NEW-BRUNSWICK.

Boundaries.

BOUNDED west by Maine, and a line drawn from the head of St. Croix to Canada; north by Canada; southeast it is divided from Nova-Scotia by the Missiquash river, and by an east line from its source to the bay of Vert, and south by the bay of Fundy.

Chief towns.-St. John's is the capital; it contains a handsome church, and 1000 inhabitants. The tide here rises 30 feet, which keeps the harbour open all winter. Frederickton is the seat of government, has a handsome church, and 500 inhabitants. It stands at the head of sloop navigation on the St. John, 80 miles from the mouth.

Rivers and soil.-The St. John is the largest river; its course is about 350 miles; the tide flows about 80 or 90; boats ascend 200. It is the common route to Quebec; it overflows its banks, and the soil is rich. Three rivers fall into the bay of Passamaquoddy; on their banks are fertile lands.

PROVINCE OF NOVA-SCOTIA.

Boundaries and extent.

BOUNDED northeast by the Gut of Canso, north by a part of the gulf of St. Lawrence and the straits of Northumberland, west by New-Brunswick and the bay of Fundy, south and southeast by the ocean. The length is 300 miles, the breadth 80,* making 8,789,000 acres, of which 3,000,000 have been granted, and 2,000,000 settled.

Bays, lakes, capes.-Canso, Chebucto, Torbay, and many other bays, form excellent harbours. At the head of Chignecto channel, an arm of Fundy bay, the tide rises 60 feet, and in the basin of Minas 40 feet. The principal capes are Cape Sable, Canso, and Blowmedown. Lake Porter is 15 miles long and half a mile broad, and pours its waters into the ocean, 5 leagues east of Halifax. Beside these, there are lakes Shubenacadie, Potawoch, Rossignel, and many others.

Rivers. The longest rivers are the Annapolis, which is navigable 15 miles for vessels of 100 tons, and the Shubenacadie. Several rivers empty themselves into Pictou harbour.

* Pinkerton.

Soil, mountains, and produce. The southern shores are broken and stony. The islands and harbours appear as if formed for drying fish, being covered with a growth suitable for fish flakes and stages, with spots of good soil sufficient to furnish the fishermen with gardens and pastures back from the sea are good farms, and an improving state of cultivation. The forests are chiefly spruce, hemlock, pine, beech, and maple.

Mines.-Coal, limestone, plaster of Paris, and iron ore, are found in the province.

Inhabitants. The province is inhabited by the French, who were the first European settlers, by Englishmen, and New-Englanders, and people from several other countries.

Indians. Of these there are the remnants of several tribes. The Micmacs inhabit the eastern shore, between Halifax and Cape Breton. They have 300 fighting men. The Marehits inhabit the banks of the St. John, and the shores of Passamaquoddy bay, and have 140 fighting men. Chief towns.-Halifax is the capital of Nova-Scotia. The streets cross each other at right angles, and the town contains 15 or 16,000 inhabitants. Port Roseway and Shelburne are places of note.

Trade and population.-Lumber and fish are their chief exports. The population of Nova-Scotia, NewBrunswick, and the islands dependent, is reckoned at 50,000.*

ISLAND OF ST. JOHN.

THIS island lies in the gulf of St. Lawrence, hear the coast of Nova-Scotia, and is 60 miles long and 30 broad. It has several rivers and a good soil. It belongs to the province of Nova-Scotia, and has 5000 inhabitants.

Near the mouth of St. Lawrence is the island of Anticosti, 120 miles long, 30 broad. It has no harbour nor inhabitants. The Magdalen Isles, lying between 47° 13' and 47° 42′ north lat. long. 18° 20′ east, are inhabited by a few fishermen.

Isle Percee, 15 miles south of Cape Gaspee, is a rock, pierced with two natural arches, through which the sea flows; one of them admits large boats to pass through.‡ * Modern Gazetteer. † Pinkerton. + Rev. Mr. Freeman.