Nova-Scotia and the islands adjoining, is estimated at fifty thoufand. This eftimate it is fuppofed is confiderably too large. Recent accounts of thefe fettlements reprefent them as in a declining state, having great numbers of the houses built in the new towns uninhabited, and confiderably reduced in value.

INDIAN S, &c.

The Indians here are the Micmacks, and the tribe called the Marechites. The former inhabit the eastern fhore, between Halifax and cape Breton; between Cumberland county and the north-eaft coaft of the province, towards Chaleur bay; about the heads of the rivers which run through the counties of Hants and King's county; and between cape Sable and Annapolis royal. This tribe is fuppofed to have about three hundred fighting men. The Marechites inhabit the river St. John, and around Paffamaquoddy bay, are estimated at one hundred and forty fighting men; they are much fuperior in all refpects to the Micmacks.-The animals are the fame as in the United States, though much less numerous.

-༨༢༨༤༢

ISLAND OF SAINT JOHN.

THIS ifland lies in the gulf of St. Lawrence, near the north

ern coaft of the province of Nova-Scotia, and is about fixty miles long, and thirty or forty broad. It has feveral fine rivers, a rich foil, and is pleafantly fituated. Charlotte-town is its principal town, and is the refidence of the lieutenant-governor, who is the chief officer on the island. The number of inhabitants are estimated at about five thoufand. Upon the reduction of cape Breton in 1745, the inhabitants of this island, amounting to about four thousand, fubmitted quietly to the British arms. While the French poffeffed this ifland, they improved it to fo much advantage, that it was called the granary of Canada, which it furnished with great plenty of corn, as well as beef and pork. It is attached to the province of Nova-Scotia.

NEWFOUNDLAND ISLAND.

NEWFOUNDLAND is fituated to the eaft of the gulf of

St. Lawrence, between forty-fix and fifty-two degrees of north latitude, and between fifty-three and fifty-nine degrees weft longitude, feparated from Labrador, or New-Britain, by the ftraits of Belleifle; and from Canada, by the bay of St. Lawrence; being five hundred and fifty miles long and two hundred broad. The coafts are extremely fubject to fogs, attended with almost continual ftorms of fnow and fleet, the sky being ufually overcaft. From the foil of this ifland the British reap no great advantage, for the cold is long continued and fevere; and the fummer heat, though violent, warms it not enough to produce any thing valuable; for the foil, at leaft in thofe parts of the ifland which have been explored, is rocky and barren; however, it is watered by feveral good rivers, and has many large and good harbours. This ifland, whenever the continent fhall come to fail of timber convenient to navigation, which on the sea conft perhaps will be at no very remote period, it is faid, will afford a large fupply for mafts, yards, and all forts of lumber for the Weft-India trade. But what at prefent it is chiefly valuable for, is the great fishery of cod carried on upon those fhoals, which are called the banks of Newfoundland, GreatBritain and North-America, at the loweft computation, annually employ three thoufand fail of fmall craft in this fishery; on board of which, and on fhore to cure and pack the fish, are upwards of one hundred thousand hands; fo that this fishery is not only a valuable branch of trade to the merchant, but a fource of livelihood to fo many thousands of poor people, and a most excellent nursery for feamen. This fishery is computed to increase the national ftock three hundred thousand pounds a in gold and filver, remitted for the cod fold in the north,

. Portugal, Italy, and the Levant. The plenty of cod, the great bank and the leffer ones, which lie to the east th-caft of this ifland, is inconceiveable; and not only but feveral other species of fish, are caught there in abun▾ ; all of which are nearly in an equal plenty along the Newfoundland, Nova-Scotia, New-England, and the Breton; and very profitable fisheries are carried on coafts,

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This island, after various difputes about the property, was entirely ceded to England by the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713; but the French were left at liberty to dry their nets on the northern fhores of the ifland; and by the treaty of 1763, they were permitted to fish in the gulf of St. Lawrence, but with this limitation, that they fhould not approach within three leagues of any of the coafts belonging to England. The small ilands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, fituated to the southward of Newfoundland, were alfo ceded to the French, who ftipulated to erect no fortifications on these islands, nor to keep more than fifty foldiers to enforce the police. By the laft treaty of peace, the French are to enjoy the fisheries on the north and on the weft coafts of the island; and the inhabitants of the United States are allowed the fame privileges in fifhing as before their independence. The chief towns in Newfoundland are, Placentia, Bonavista, and St. John's: but not above one thoufand families remain here in winter. A fmall fquadron of men of war are fent out every fpring to protect the fisheries and inhabitants, the admiral of which, for the time being, is governor of the island, besides whom there are two lieutenant-governors, one at Placentia, and the other at St. John's,

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

OF

GREENLAND.

GREENLAND

REENLAND is a general name by which is now denoted the most easterly parts of America, stretching towards the north pole, and likewife fome islands northward of the continent of Europe, lying in very high latitudes. The whole of this country was formerly defcribed as belonging to Europe, but from its contiguity to, and probable union with the American continent, it appears moft proper to be claffed among the countries belonging to the latter; we therefore have followed Mr. Morse, and placed it among the divifions of North-America.—It is divided into two parts, viz. West and East Greenland, of each we shall here give a defcription from the best authorities extant,

་་གཞན

WEST GREENLAND.

THIS country is now laid down, in our lateft maps, as part of

the continent of America, though on what authority is not very

clear.*

* Whether Greenland is an island, has not yet been decided, as no fhip has penetrated higher than the feventy-eighth degree, on account of the ice. That it is not an island, but a part of the American continent, is rendered probable; ift. Because Davis' ftraits, or rather Baffin's Bay, grows narrower and narrower towards the feventy-eighth degree north.-2d. Because the coaft, which in other places is very high towards the fea, grows lower and lower northward.—gd. Because the tide, which at cape Farewell, and as far up as Cockin's found, in the fixty-fifth degre

creafes to t

atitude, rifes eighteen feet at the new and full moon, des of Difko, fo that in the feventieth degree of latitude

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That part of it which the Europeans have any knowledge of is bounded on the weft by Baffin's bay, on the fouth by Davis' ftraits, and on the east by the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is a very mountainous country, and fome parts of it so high that they may be difcerned thirty leagues off at sea. The inland mountains, hills, and rocks are covered with per petual snow; but the low lands on the fea-fide are clothed with verdure in the fummer season. The coaft abounds with inlets, bays, and large rivers; and is furrounded with a vaft number of islands of different dimenfions. In a great many places, how. ever, on the eastern coast especially, the fhore is inacceffible by reafon of the floating mountains of ice. The principal river, called Baal, falls into the fea in the fixty-fourth degree of latitude, where the first Danish lodge was built in 1721;, and has been navigated above forty miles up the country.

Weft Greenland was firft peopled by Europeans in the eighth century. At that time a company of Icelanders, headed by one Ericke Rande, were by accident driven on the coaft. On his return he represented the country in such a favourable light, that fome families again followed him thither, where they foon became a thriving colony, and bestowed on their new habitation the name of Groenland, or Greenland, on account of its verdant appearance. This colony was converted to Christianity by a miffionary from Norway, sent thither by the celebrated Olaf, the first Norwegian monarch who embraced the Chriftian religion. The Greenland fettlement continued to increase and thrive under his protection; and in a little time the country was provided with many towns, churches, convents, bishops, &c. under the jurifdiftion of the archbishop of Drontheim. A confiderable commerce was carried on between Greenland and Norway; and a regular intercourfe maintained between the two countries till the year 1406, when the last bishop was fent over. From that time all correfpondence was cut off, and all knowledge of Greenland has been buried in oblivion.

it rifes little more than eight feet, and probably continues to diminish, till there is no tide at all. To which may be added the relation of the Greenlanders, which however cannot be much depended on, viz. that the ftrait contracts itself fo narrow at last, that they can go on the ice fo near to the other fide, as to be able to call to the inhabitants, and that they can ftrike a fish on both fides at once; but that there runs fuch a ftrong current from the north into the ftrait, that they cannot pass it.

Ellis's voyage to Hudson's bay for the difcovery of a north-weji passage.