who took poffeffion of it in Auguft 1713, were properly the first inhabitants. They changed its name into that of Ifle Royale, and fixed upon Fort Dauphin for their principal fettlement. This harbour was two leagues in circumference. The fhips came to the very fhore, and were fheltered from winds. Forefts affording oak fufficient to fortify and build a large city, were near at hand; the ground appeared lefs barren than in other parts, and the fifhery was more plentiful. This harbour might have been rendered impregnable at a trifling expence; but the difficulty of approaching it (a circumftance that had at first made a ftronger impreffion than the advantages refulting from it) occafioned it to be abandoned, after great labour had been bestowed upon the undertaking. They then turned their views to Louisbourg, the accefs to which was eafier; and convenience was thus preferred to fecurity: the fortification of Louisbourg, however, was not begun till 1720.

In the year 1714, fome fishermen, who till then had lived in Newfoundland, fettled in this ifland. It was expected that their number would foon have been increased by the Acadians, who were at liberty, from the treaties that had been granted them, to remove with all their effects, and even to difpofe of their eftates; but these hopes were dif appointed. The Acadians chofe rather to retain their poficions under the dominion of Britain, than to give them up for any precarious advantage they might derive from their attachment to France. Their place was fupplied by fome distressed adventurers from Europe, who came over from time to time to Cape Breton, and the number of inhabitants gradually increafed to four thoufand. They were fettled at Louisbourg, Fort Dauphin, Port Touloufe, Nerucka, and on all the coafts where they found a proper beach for drying the cod.

This ifland, was attacked by the English in 1745; and the event is of fo fingular a nature, that it deferves a particular detail. The plan of this first invafion was laid at Bofton, and New England bore the expence of it. A merchant named Pepperel, who had excited, encouraged, and directed the enterprize, was intrufted with the command of of fix thousand men, which had been levied for this expe

an

army

dition. Though thefe forces, convoyed by a fquadron from Jamaica, brought the first news to Cape Breton of the danger that threatened it; though the advantage of a furprise would have fecured the landing without oppofition; though they had but fix hundred regular troops to encounter, and eight hundred inhabitants haftily armed, the fuccefs of the undertaking was ftill precarious. What great exploits, indeed, could

be

be expected from a militia fuddenly affembled, who bad never seen a fiege or faced an enemy, and were to act under the direction of feaofficers only. Thefe unexperienced troops ftood in need of the affistance of fome fortunate incident, which they were indeed favoured with in a fingular manner.

The construction and repairs of the fortifications had always been left to the care of the garrison of Louisbourg. The foldiers were eager of being employed in thefe works, which they confidered as conducive to their fafety, and as the means of procuring them a comfortable fubfiftence. When they found that those who were to have paid them, appropriated to themselves the profit of their labours, they demanded juftice. It was denied them, and they were determined to affert their right. As thefe depredations had been shared between the chief perfons of the colony and the fubaltern officers, the foldiers could obtain no redrefs. Their indignation against these rapacious extorti oners rofe to fuch a height, that they defpifed all authority. They had lived in an open rebellion for fix months, when the British appeared before the place.

This was the time to conciliate the minds of both parties, and to unite in the common cause. The foldiers made the firft advances; but their commanders miftrufted a generofity of which they themselves were incapable. It was firmly believed that the foldiers were only defirous of fallying out, that they might have an opportunity of defert ing; and their own officers kept them in a manner prisoners, till a defence fo ill managed had reduced them to the neceffity of capitulating, The whole island fhared the fate of Louisbourg, its only bulwark.

This valuable poffeffion, reftored to France by the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, was again attacked by the British in 1758, and taken. The poffeffion was confirmed to Great Britain by the peace in 1763; fince which the fortifications have been blown up, and the town of Louif bourg dismantled.

SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, &c.

The inhabitants never applied themfelves to agriculture, the foil being unfit for it. They often fowed corn, but it feldom came to maturity; and when it did thrive fo much as to be worth reaping, it had degenerated fo confiderably, that it was not fit for feed for the next harveft. They have only continued to plant a few pot-herbs that are tolerably well tafted, but must be renewed every year from abroad. The poornefs and fcarcity of paftures has likewife prevented the in

crease

crease of cattle. In a word, the foil of Cape Breton feems calculated to invite none but fishermen.

Though the island was entirely covered with forefts before it was inhabited, its wood has fcarce ever been an object of trade. A great quantity, however, of foft wood was found there fit for firing, and fome that might be used for timber: but the oak has always been fcarce, and the fir never yielded much refin. The peltry trade was a very inconfiderable object. It confifted only in the fkins of a few lynxes, elks, mufk-rats, wild cats, bears, otters, and foxes both of a red and filver-grey colour. Some of thefe were procured from a colony of Mickmac Indians who had fettled on the island with the French, and never could raife more than fixty men able to bear arms. The reft came from St. John's, or the neighbouring continent. Greater advanta ges might poffibly have been derived from the coal-mines, which abound in the island. They lie in a horizontal direction; and being no more than fix or eight feet below the furface, may be worked without digging deep, or draining off the waters. Notwithstanding the prodigious demand for this coal from New England, from the year 1745 to 1749, thefe mines would probably have been forfaken, had not the fhips which were fent out to the French islands wanted ballaft. In one of thefe mines a fire has been kindled, which could never yet be extinguished.

The people of Cape Breton did not fend all their fifh to Europe, they fent part of it to the French fouthern islands, on board twenty or twenty-five fhips from seventy to one hundred and forty tuns burden. Befides the cod, which made at least half their cargo, they exported to the other colonies timber, planks, thin oak-boards, falted falmon and mackeril, train-oil, and fea-coal. All these were paid for in fugar and coffee, but chiefly in rum and molaffes. The island could not confume. all thefe commodities. Canada took off but a fmall part of the overplus; it was chiefly bought by the people of New England, who gave in exchange fruits, vegetables, wood, brick, and cattle. This trade of exchange was allowed; but a fmuggling trade was added to it, carried on in flour, and falt fifh.

POPULATION, CHIEF TOWNS, &c.

On this ifland there are about one thousand inhabitants, who have a lieutenant-governor refident among them, appointed by the king. The principal towns are Sidney, the capital, and Louifbourg, which has the bet harbour in the island.

This

This ifland may be confidered as the key to Canada, and the very valuable fishery, in its neighbourhood, depends for its protection on the poffeffion of this island; as no nation can carry it on without fome convenient harbour of ftrength to fupply and protect it; and Louifbourg is the principal one for thefe purposes.

NEW

NEW BRITAIN;

ANNEXED TO THE GOVERNMENT OF LOWER CANADA.

The country lying round Hudfon's Bay, or the country of the Esquimaux, comprehended Labrador, New North and South Wales, has obtained the general name of NEW BRITAIN, and is attached to the government of Lower Canada. A fuperintendant of trade, appointed by the Governor-General of the four British Provinces, and refponfible to him, refides at Labrador.

CLIMATE.

The climate, even about Haye's river, in only lat. 57°, is, during winter, exceffively cold. The fnows begin to fall in October, and continue falling by intervals the whole winter: and, when the froft is moft rigorous, in form of the finest fand. The ice on the rivers is eight feet thick. Port wine freezes into a folid mafs; brandy coagulates. The very breath falls on the blankets of the beds in the form of a hoar froit, and the bed-cloaths often are found frozen to the wall. The fun rifes, in the shortest day, five minutes paft nine, and fets five minutes. before three. In the longest day the fun rifes at three, and fets about nine. The ice begins to disappear in May, and hot weather commences about the middle of June, which at times is fo violent as to fcorch the faces of the hunters. Thunder is not frequent, but very violent. there is a great difference of heat and cold in this vaft extent, which reaches from lat. 50, 40, to lat. 63 north.-During winter the firmament is not without its beauties. Mock funs, halos are not unfrequent; they are very bright, and richly tinged with all the colours of the rainbow. The fun rifes and fets with a large cone of yellowish light. The night is enlivened with the Aurora Borealis, which spreads a thousand different lights and colours over the whole concave of the ky, not to be defaced even by the splendour of the full moon; and the ftars are of a fiery redness.

But

In this feafon it however frequently happens, that the air is fo full of watery vapours, that the fun will be obfcured for several weeks toge ther. This is occafioned by the rime, which afcends from the open fea water, and being condenfed by the cold, is driven by the wind to a confiderable distance at times, from forty to fifty miles.

The climate is very perceptibly milder in the interior, than in the parts on the fea coaft. The fnow is not half so deep, neither are the VOL. IV.

D

hottest