While the French had poffeffion of Canada, both the city and island of Montreal belonged to private proprietors, who had improved them fo well, that the whole island had become a moft delightful spot, and produced every thing that could adminifter to the conveniencies life. The city forms an oblong fquare, divided by regular and wellformed ftreets; and when taken by the English the houses were built in a very handsome manner; and every house might be seen at one view from the harbour, or from the fouthernmoft fide of the river, as the hill on the fide of which the town stands falls gradually to the water. This place is furrounded by a wall and a dry ditch; and its fortifications have been much improved by the English. Montreal is nearly as large as Quebec, but fince it fell into the hands of the English it has fuffered much by fires.

The principal towns in Upper Canada are Kingston, on Lake Ontario, Niagara, between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and Detroit, fituated on the western bank of Detroit river, between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and nine miles below Lake St. Clair.*

POPULATION.

Upper Canada, though an infant fettlement, is faid by fome to contain forty thoufand, by others, only twenty thoufand inhabitants. The truth probably is between them. Lower Canada, in 1784, contained one hundred thirteen thousand and twelve fouls. Both provinces may now contain about one hundred and fifty-two thousand fouls, which sumber is multiplying, both by natural increafe and by emigrations.

RELIGION.

About nine tenths of the inhabitants of thefe provinces are Roman Catholics, who enjoy under the prefent government the fame provifion, rights, and privileges, as were granted them in 1774, by the act of 14th of George III. The reft of the people are Epifcopalians, Prefbyterians, and a few of almost all the different fects of Chriftians.

TRADE.

The commodities required by the Canadians from Europe are, wine, er rather rum; cloths, chiefly coarfe; linen; and wrought iron. The Indian trade requires rum, tobacco, a fort of duffil blankets, guns. powder, balls, and flints, kettles, hatchets, toys, and trinkets of all

* Niagara and Detroit, though at present in possession of the British government, contrary to the treaty of peace, are, without any pollible doubt, both within the limits of the United States.

kinds.

kinds. While the country was in poffeffion of the French, the Indians fupplied them with poultry; and the French had traders, who, like the original inhabitants, traverfed the vast lakes and rivers in cances, th incredible induftry and patience, carrying their goods into the remoteft parts of America, and among nations entirely unknown to us. Thefe again brought the furs, &c. home to them, as the Indians were thereby habituated to trade with them. For this purpofe, people from all parts, even from the distance of one thousand miles, came, to the French fair at Montreal, which began in June, and fometimes lafted. three months. On this occafion many folemnities were observed, guards were placed, and the governor affifted to preferve order in fo great and various a concourfe of favage nations. But fometimes great diforders and tumults happened: and the Indians frequently gave for a dram all that they were poffeffed of. It is remarkable, that many of thefe nations actually paffed ly the then English fettlement of Albany in New York, and travelled two hundred miles further to Montreal, though they could have purchased the goods they wanted cheaper at the former.

Since Britain became poffeffed of Canada, her trade with that coun. try has generally employed from thirty to forty fhips, and about four thousand feamen.

The amount of the exports from the province of Quebec, as far back as in the year 1786, was three hundred forty-three thousand two hundred and fixty-two pounds, nineteen fhillings and fix-pence. The amount of imports in the fame year was three hundred twenty-five thoufand one hundred and fixteen pounds. The exports confifted of wheat, flour, bifcuit, flax-feed, lumber of various kinds, fish, potash, oil, ginfeng and other medicinal roots, BUT PRINCIPALLY OF FURS AND PELTRIES, to the amount of two hundred eighty-five thoufand nine hundred and feventy-feven pounds. The imports confifted of

rum,

* Should America infift (as no doubt fhe will) on Great Britain furrendering the frontier forts, and thofe lands and fettlements which she has hitherto held in defiance of the most folemn treaties, there cannot remain a doubt but nine tenths of the fur trade will país into the hands of the Americans. This will prove a moft fevere blow to the Canadian commerce, as well as to the revenue of Great Britain, while the Americans, grown wife by experience, fending their furs direct to France, Germany, &c. instead of caufing them to pass through the hands of British merchants and brokers, will be able to divide an additional profit of from thirty to fifty per cent, between themfelves and the merchants of thofe countries.-A profit which is now exclufively enjoyed by British fubjects, or foreigners refiding in Great Britain, as intermediate agents;~~~~~

VOL IV.

C

but

rum, brandy, molaffes, coffee, fugar, wines, tobacco, falt, chocolates provifions for the troops, and dry goods.

GOVERNMENT.

By the Quebec act, paffed by the parliament of Great Britain in the year 1791, fo much of the act of the 14th of George III. paffed in the year 1774, as relates to the appointment of a council for the government of the province of Quebec, is repealed; and it is enacted that there fhall be within each of the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, a Legislative Council, and an Affembly, who, with the confent of the Governor, appointed by the King, fhall have power to make laws. The governor may give or withhold his majesty's affent to bills paffed by the legislative council and affembly, or referve them for his majesty's pleasure. Bills referved are to have no force till his majesty's affent is fignified by the governor, which, to be valid, muft be fignified within two years from the time the bill is prefented to the governor. The governor muft tranfmit to the fecretary of flate copies of fuch bills as have been affented to, which his Majefty in council may declare his difallowance of within two years from the receipt.

The Legislative Council is to confist of not fewer than seven members for Upper, and fifteen for Lower Canada, to be fummoned by the Governor, who must be authorized by the King. Such members are to hold their feats for life, unless forfeited by four years continual abfence, or by fwearing allegiance to fome foreign power.

The House of Affembly is to consist of not less than fixteen members from Upper, and not lefs than fifty from Lower Canada, chofen by the freeholders in the feveral towns and diftricts. The council and affembly are to be called together at least once in every year; and every affembly is to continue four years, unless fooner diffolved by the Governor. All questions are to be decided by a majority of votes of the

but, it may be faid, that the farcity of fpecie in America, and their great demand for English manufactures, will fecure the fur trade to Great Britain-fuch, however, fhould remember, that the rapid progrefs of manufactures in the United States, aided by the prefen: fpirit of emigration in Europe will foon leffen this demand, and leave the Americans at liberty to carry their fuas and other articles to a market which will rapidly increafe their fpecie fufficient to enable them to range the European and other markets with that advantage which the British inerchant has long experienced almost without a rival—indeed, it is impossible to confider the rapid advances which America has made since her independence, without at the fame time being convinced, hat instead of drawing her fupplies of manufactured goods from Great Britain, she will, er'e long, become her rival in the most important articles in almost every other European market,

members

members prefent. His Majefty may authorize the Governor to fix the time and place of holding the elections, (fubject, however, to fuch provifions as may hereafter be made by the Legislature) and to fix the times and places of holding the feffions of the affembly, and to prorogue and diffolve the fame whenever he fhall judge it neceffary.

The Governor, together with fuch of the executive council as shall be appointed by the King, for the affairs of each province, are to be a court of civil jurifdiction for hearing and determining appeals, subject, however, to fuch appeals from their judgment as heretofore exifted. All lands in Upper Canada are to be granted hereafter in free and common foccage; and alfo in Lower Canada, when the grantee fhall defire it, fubject nevertheless to alterations by an act of the Legiflature.

British America is fuperintended by an officer ftiled Governor General of the four British provinces in North America, who, besides other powers, is commander in chief of all the British troops in the four provinces and the governments attached to them and Newfoundland. Each of the provinces have a Lieutenant Governor, who, in the abfence of the Governor General, has all the powers requifite to a chief magiftrate.

The ifland, or rather collection of islands, called by the French Les Ifles de Madam, which lie fo contiguous as that they are commonly called but one, and comprehended under the name of the Ifland of Cape Breton, lies between lat. 45° and 47° N. and between 59° and 60, W. long. from London, or 14° and 15° E. long. from Philadel phia, and about 45 leagues to the eastward of Halifax. It is about one hundred miles in length, and fifty in breadth; and is feparated from Nova Scotia by a narrow ftrait, called the Gut of Canfo, which is the communication between the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulph of St. Lawrence.

It is furrounded with little fharp-pointed rocks, feparated from each other by the waves, above which fome of their tops are visible. All its harbours are open to the eaft, turning towards the fouth. On the other parts of the coaft there are but a few anchoring places for small veffels, in creeks, or between iflets. The harbour of St. Peter's, at the weft end of the inland, is a very commodious place for carrying on the fishery.

CLIMATE.

Except in the hilly parts, the furface of the country has but little folidity, being every where covered with a light mofs and with water. The dampnefs of the foil is exhaled in fogs, without rendering the aft unwholefome. In other refpects, the climate is very cold, owing either to the prodigious quantity of lakes, which cover above half the island, and remain frozen a long time; or to the number of forests, that totally intercept the rays of the fun; the effect of which is befides decreased by perpetual clouds.

HISTORY OF ITS SETTLEMENT, &c.

Though fome fishermen had long reforted to this ifland every fum mer, not more than twenty or thirty had ever fixed there. The French,

who