r. s. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
A 
 
 SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 OF 
 
 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, 
 
 DESIGNED CHIEFLY 
 
 FOR THE INFORMATION OF AGRICULTURIST 
 AND OTHER EMIGRANTS OF SMALL 
 CAPITAL. 
 
 EY 
 
 THE'AUTHOR OF THE EMIGRANT’S INTRODUCTION TO AN ACQUAINTANCE 
 WITH THB BRITISH AMERICAN COLONIES, &C. 
 
 Honiion: 
 
 MADDEN & Co. (Late PAltBURY & Co.) 8, LEADENHALL 
 STREET. 
 
 1839. 
 
A 
 
 SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 INFORMATION OF EMIGRANTS, &c. 
 
I .at 40.30 
 
 Sur\frors ] 
 
 XtUft' 
 
 flontutHut/ 
 
 jittH'fAms.t 
 
 fat/ v! '/jr&uiti 
 
 Eaft 
 
 Parifh 
 
 *vyv«> v/vi 
 
 44 \ 
 
 goci'oAmisfc 
 
 SJiij' h'r,;-A' Pt 
 
 OF 
 
 (tiff .\'f (fro/'t/r 
 
 r ( •'t/.t'/tf Util) 
 
 j-AtISC 
 
 Jlnnro 
 
 'rt<V 
 
 * * - twmiUi 
 
 HrrtHiW 
 
 K:. V (’ |i_; 
 
 .*U iudaJat if 
 
 /JY/itul 
 
 St/iutre Mites 
 Miles 
 
 (\i!lav/r/i,r 
 
 Jaw 22,34 
 
 Jltvurrtt 
 
 Population 
 
 Yt>rfh fitpe 
 
 LutK/lrjt /.» t 
 
 M*«V 
 
 Yntrr.fi. 
 
 Sff.OOO 
 
 H«»W 1 ‘ iwv 
 
 
 
 
 
 Toaim/ir 
 
 
 \A<; 
 
 £\TIalWlV 
 
 .vV///>/- // 
 
 \T. r/i/S Ff 
 
 pit** 1 
 
 . I flat far 
 
 './errs 
 
 ‘Ctr/. vvv • law/ 
 
 
 ^ v ' - r aV inrel 
 
 ^) ( ...». 1 l /- 
 
 Btjabn 1 
 
 I>a/1mrtrt/,.\ 
 
 .|() 
 
 \CL/// 
 
 11 alt Ta x 
 
 Pari Hi 
 
 <•<:» ./<?>;.• 
 
 
 /Mi/KM i 
 jT/, 7 y t iaii/ 
 /•arm 
 
 wn 1 
 
 /7/A''"; 
 
 JffV* V' 
 
 ViMtCW 
 
 v •, v. ^ xr ‘ ’* ‘ 1 
 
 JS* Pa ri 111 
 
 >.■>1 a >/ *i v v • .Ir/rs 
 
 •/&/;»* <;<> 
 y 1 ,*»M «<V*V 'rJitfW 
 
 /i, rrfitoY: 
 
 ylwJli) 
 
 $; I >a vnl s 
 
 Pari lb 
 
 t&uwtyir/rs - 
 y<y/'/v* 
 
 '■terra Atrrs 
 
 |ulH Aui lii-H \ ^ \ 
 
 y.y. y,;.- 
 
 Simtiyl. ,vi 
 
 H . sl 101*01 l^tl 
 
 Pari III ^ 
 
 u> .Itvr.r 
 
 
 j?*Vy 
 
 //nmen-Maad\ 
 
 Hrra/rtv. 
 
 vow 
 
 29 
 
 5MtAV./t 
 
 r.^iiiont l»ai 
 
 or itt (rtuta/f .//«>’ 
 
 /Wta 4 
 
 War*/ /Minnie 
 
 Pfim P: 
 
 //t/.trra.Ai.f ff. 
 
 ./cmc 
 
 Halifax Hay 
 
 <>r /tetter/nr 
 
 
 Char/ottr Town Coni.Sc /\t.e/ntr lots' J^ro 
 
 cteotyr Town D? X* i>f 
 
 Primr Town D7 X* 2 
 
 futons County _ ,/rv; 
 
 Xinys County . 47 / < 2^2 
 
 Trtturs fount!/ 4 (>7 000 
 
 (onrents ot't//rIs/tuui /.ute, .for ./<vrs. 
 
 North < 
 Lair.*;. 
 
 /.••mtifm/t H/jY than Lorn/at . 
 
 /ate/ / Xortl 
 
 Mvn./Jeu Jrty.,’ 
 
 Cove 3 
 
 J / 9 
 
 I ^ /mw .litre 
 
 J ttHHHtriaw / •., 
 
 ('ape I ® 
 
 ^ r>n:t # 3 , 
 
 v ^>lanb ^ 
 
 tliviiU*il into 
 
 r w \xrn:s x /!, iRisnEs, 
 
 with tin* Lots as t$*anto<l by (»ovrrmnriil. 
 
 4 ! / tfi/ufun/ it// i/tf • ^ 
 
 Xkw Settlements.uoads.mills \s.x*<. 
 
 <T ' .fi/Awter F/ y 
 
 ^ l' ^ r 
 
 Y K 1 sr \<; 
 
 Te /jo/' • ' / j ' T$ 4 U» Bi»y 
 
 ., Ttfizz*/ l^ C-ccn ^ssL/tSjtt 
 
 •< .1*01 ' '^TTa/vv/ 
 
 y ’.X , W ,r " /I 4 -(L- v v 1i 'jfcrtv/ v/ ( , ^ -»«» 
 
 < o r %T * v V 
 
 ^ 7 -^rr Aiv. »» , 4 '»„..w ? Vgf^ 
 
 .>V V. t, y-iV A y^7lru,y /? 
 
 W 88 , , S 
 
 ii’ujii»uv orlhtu nivittw 
 
 /.Vv/ tty*/ 
 
 XJf. Saw Mi// 
 C.Jf. f’o/rt Mi// 
 
 ::I /fit/i/itfiouw 
 
 *• WliaitlU-k .’ 1 
 
 iny «// /,»«• IfT/trr 
 
 It •/ *’ ^ ir Miter 
 
 />w<w Oynft/ 
 
 Quan* 
 
 SSnos 
 
A 
 
 SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 OF 
 
 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, 
 
 DESIGNED CHIEFLY 
 
 FOR THE INFORMATION OF AGRICULTURIST 
 AND OTl T ER EMIGRANTS OF SMALL 
 CAPITAL, 
 
 i 9 
 
 BY 
 
 THE AUTHOR OF THE EMIGRANT’S INTRODUCTION TO AN ACQUAINTANCE 
 WITH THE BRITISH AMERICAN COLONIES, &C. 
 
 Great Nature spoke, observant man obey’d, 
 Cities were built, societies were made. — Pole. 
 
 HonDon: 
 
 MADDEN & Co. (Late PARBURY & Co.) 8, LEADENHALL 
 STREET. 
 
 1839 . 
 
E. Varty, Printer, 27, Camomile Street, Bishopsgate. 
 
It has long been a matter of surprise to the 
 greater part of those travellers who have visited 
 the British provinces in America, that the Island 
 of which I have undertaken to convey some des¬ 
 cription, should hitherto, in proportion to its rela¬ 
 tive importance with other parts of our colonial 
 possessions, have been so little known in Great 
 Britain. There has, however, been no want of 
 publications containing valuable statements con¬ 
 cerning its importance, whether in a commercial 
 point of view, or in relation to the settlement of 
 Emigrants from the United Kingdom. But the 
 
11 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 better, and more full accounts, are to be obtained, 
 only when accompanied by voluminous details re¬ 
 specting the sister provinces, or from books now 
 rarely to be met with. 
 
 Nothing has been published concerning this 
 Island, for the express use of Emigrants; nothing, 
 in the execution of which, the mind of the writer 
 has been steadily intent upon the interests of that 
 class of persons best calculated to fonn a portion of 
 its population: and it is to supply this deficiency, 
 that I have undertaken to impart such information 
 as seems to me best adapted to be useful to Emi¬ 
 grants in search of intelligence concerning the 
 capabilities of the country and the facilities for 
 settlement which it affords. I have ventured to 
 state only such opinions respecting the prospects 
 of the settlers, as a long residence in the colony 
 has enabled me with confidence to offer. 
 
 In a former publication,* in which, it was a part 
 of the design to draw a comparative view of the 
 
 * “ The Emigrant’s Introduction, &c.*’ 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 iii 
 
 condition of the several American colonies, in re¬ 
 lation to the disposition, capital, and views of in¬ 
 tending emigrants, I took occasion to point out 
 Prince Edward Island, as one of those portions of 
 these extensive countries more especially favored 
 by situation and soil, and well adapted for the 
 settlement of enterprising agriculturists. In the 
 present instance, I am able to be more precise in 
 the notice of such matters as may probably be of 
 the first interest with the inquirer. 
 
 It may be necessary to inform or remind the 
 reader, that the advantages this Island possesses 
 over the Canadas as a place of settlement, are, 
 chiefly, the greater salubrity of its atmosphere, and 
 the facilities for commerce which it enjoys. It is 
 more healthy than the greater part of Upper Canada, 
 though not so mild in the winter season as the 
 more favored portions of that province; and it is 
 not exposed to such great extremes of heat and 
 cold as the low T er province. It possesses, too, a 
 more peaceable and loyal population than Lower 
 
IV 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Canada, where the French Canadians predominate; 
 and it has advantages over every part of our conti¬ 
 nental possessions in America, in being further re¬ 
 moved from the chances of the depreciation of 
 property, arising from the unsettled state of public 
 affairs in Lower Canada. 
 
 With respect to Emigration , in so far as it may 
 concern the reader, in relation to his condition, 
 and as a matter of choice or necessity, I have in 
 this instance made no further allusion to its good 
 or evil consequences, than will be found in a few 
 incidental remarks. The question could not be 
 here fairly examined ; but it was necessary to notice 
 the change of condition which most Emigrants will 
 certainly experience, in a greater or less degree, 
 depending, as regards those of the poorer classes, 
 upon health and physical strength, and upon union 
 and moral energy with those less dependent upon 
 manual labor for their success. But should any 
 reader of this Sketch, receive his first impressions 
 concerning the nature of Emigration, from the casual 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 V 
 
 observations he may here meet with, and desire to 
 find the subject more fully discussed, he may en¬ 
 counter a variety of arguments both for and against 
 removal, according to the inquirer's condition and 
 prospects here, and his adaptation to any one of the 
 American colonies, in the Treatise to which refer¬ 
 ence has already been made. 
 
 From the indulgent reception with which that 
 publication was favored by the periodical reviewers, 
 to whom the author’s acknowledgements are due; 
 and from the consequent extensive circulation 
 which it has obtained within those districts of the 
 United Kingdom where emigration is more general, 
 it may reasonably be believed, that there will be 
 readers of this present sketch, who have been con¬ 
 firmed in their determination to emigrate, from the 
 observations contained in the former treatise; and 
 having chosen Prince Edward Island for the place 
 of their destination, desire a more full account of 
 that country. Should this in any instance be the 
 case, I trust I may venture to hope, that the further 
 
VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 information respecting this fine colony now before 
 the reader, will at least, be sufficient to satisfy the 
 inquiries of Emigrants of that class whose prospects 
 are here more fully examined. 
 
 But should there be any indifferent reader, I 
 am not without hope, also, that this description of 
 a portion of the colonial empire of Great Britain, 
 which, amid other pursuits may have almost escaped 
 his notice, will put him in possession of information 
 that may in some way or other be made subservient 
 to charitable purposes. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 SITUATION"—APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY—DIVISION 
 — QUEEN’S COUNTY — HILLSBOROUGH HARBOUR — 
 CHARLOTTE TOWN VICINITY—RUSTICO—TRACADIE. 
 
 Prince Edward Island is one of those important 
 Colonies which fell into the hands of the English upon 
 the conquest of Canada, and were finally ceded to Great 
 Britain by the treaty of Paris in 1763. It is situated 
 on the South side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and is 
 separated from the continental provinces of Nova Scotia 
 and New Brunswick, by a strait of from nine to thirty 
 miles in breadth. It lies between the latitudes of 45 
 and 47 degrees North, and is about 130 miles in length, 
 but varies from ten to thirty in breadth. 
 
 The appearance of the country from the water is 
 extremely inviting. With the exception of some ridges 
 of sand wastes, which front the bays on the North side, 
 and form several fine harbours, the Island is entirely 
 surrounded with red cliffs, varying from thirty to one 
 hundred feet in height. 
 
 B 
 
 / 
 
2 
 
 APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
 Their are no mountains in the Island; but the 
 country in the interior, is, in most parts, higher than 
 upon the coast; and the scenery, as you approach the 
 shore, presents all the varieties of cultivated and forest 
 land, with the most luxuriant foliage to the very brink 
 of the cliffs, or to the water’s edge upon the rivers and 
 bays. 
 
 The sand wastes which stretch across the bays upon 
 the North side, show no signs of vegetation when 
 viewed from the sea, and produce nothing but coarse 
 grass and wild peas. They, however, commonly rise 
 into hillocks of from twenty to eighty or ninety feet in 
 height, and add greatly to the effect of the scenery, 
 whether seen from the land or the sea. 
 
 The Coast of the Island is on every side indented 
 with fine harbours, and the interior is intersected with 
 rivers which meander through the richest natural 
 forest in every district; while springs, and streams 
 of the purest water, every where abound. 
 
 The Island is divided into three counties, which are 
 called King’s County, Queen’s County, and Prince 
 County ; and subdivided into townships, sixty-seven in 
 all. As the capital is situated in Queen’s County, I 
 shall proceed first, to particularize the localities of 
 that division, with the advantage which it affords to the 
 classes of emigrants for whose use these remarks are 
 more especially intended. 
 
 Near the centre of this county and of the Island, is 
 situated Hillsborough Bay, which is capacious, and safe 
 for ships of any burden. At the head of this bay lies 
 
CHARLOTTE TOWN. 
 
 3 
 
 an inner harbour, which is a well sheltered basin of 
 about three miles in breadth, formed by the junction 
 of the Hillsborough, York, and Elliot Rivers, which 
 empty their waters by the same channel of about half 
 a mile in breadth, into the outer harbour. At the con¬ 
 fluence of the rivers Hillsborough and York, upon a 
 point of gradually rising ground, skirted by red cliffs 
 from about twenty to thirty or forty feet in height, 
 is situated Charlotte Town. 
 
 Charlotte Town is the seat of the Government, and 
 contains about three thousand inhabitants. It is ad¬ 
 mirably planned, and laid out in streets running at 
 right angles, with several squares, but is only yet par¬ 
 tially built. It is divided into hundreds, and subdi¬ 
 vided into half-acre lots, to each of which is attached 
 a pasture lot of twelve acres. The public buildings 
 consist of, a court-house, which is used also by the 
 two branches of the legislature, of a college for the 
 education of youth, and a gaol. There is also an Epis¬ 
 copalian Church, a Scotch Church, and a Methodist 
 and a Catholic Chapel. The houses are generally built 
 of wood, and painted straw colour or white; but 
 several brick houses have lately been erected, which 
 give a more substantial and English air to the town, 
 and contribute to its security from fire. 
 
 Many of the houses have gardens ; and as there is a 
 total absence of the mean and dirty habitations wdiich 
 not unfrequently skirt the whole water boundary of 
 European towns situated upon rivers, the view of the 
 capital is extremely agreeable; neither is our impres¬ 
 ts 2 
 
4 « 7 
 
 VICINITY OF CHARLOTTE TOWN. 
 
 sion effaced, when we come to walk through its broad 
 and cheerful streets. We are not shocked by the 
 evidences of indigence, nor offended by the ostenta¬ 
 tious display of luxury and vanity. But of those features 
 which characterize the social intercourse of the inhabi¬ 
 tants, it will be necessary to offer a remark or two in 
 a subsequent page. 
 
 The vicinity of the capital, is rarely exceeded in the 
 richness and varied beauty of its scenery. Upon a 
 beautiful site on the west side, and within a mile of the 
 town, stands the new government house; and on the 
 opposite banks in every direction around the basin, the 
 eye rests upon gently rising grounds, covered to the 
 very brink of the cliffs with the most luxuriant natural 
 forest, interrupted only by the occasional intervention 
 of cultivated plots, with the certain indications of pros¬ 
 perity and plenty. 
 
 Around the town the country is well cleared for 
 several miles. The principal roads are the St. Peter’s, 
 and the Malpec or Prince Town Road. The St. 
 Peter’s road is settled on both sides, to the distance of 
 twelve or fourteen miles; and stretching towards the 
 East point of the Island, it connects the most distant 
 settlements of King’s County with the capital. The 
 Prince Town Road is settled also for nine or ten miles ; 
 and running to the westward, leads to the most remote 
 settlements of Prince County. The next in impor¬ 
 tance is the George Town Road. It commences 
 opposite the capital, and leads to George Town and 
 all the settlements in that direction. Besides these, 
 
PRINCIPAL RIVERS. 
 
 5 
 
 there are new branch roads yearly opening in all 
 these directions, as the settlements increase in number 
 and importance. 
 
 Upon the Malpec or Prince Town Road, and the St. 
 Peter’s Road, and upon the banks of the two rivers 
 which skirt the capital, there are several agreeable 
 seats upon a moderate scale of outlay, occupied by the 
 more wealthy inhabitants. Thus, the vicinity of the town 
 affords rides and walks such as the most enthusiastic 
 admirers of nature in her softer beauties could choose 
 to frequent ; and presents at the same time, the evi¬ 
 dences of increasing wealth, and a state of moral 
 advancement, not exceeded in any country whatsoever. 
 
 The Hillsborough or East River, is the largest of 
 the three fine rivers which empty themselves into 
 Hillsborough Bay. It takes its rise about twenty-two 
 miles north-east of Charlotte Town, and in its course, 
 receives the waters of many tributary streams. The 
 scenery upon this river, during the summer and 
 autumn months, is extremely picturesque; and the 
 lands upon its banks are highly fertile, and rapidly 
 settling with an industrious population. 
 
 The York river takes its rise about twelve miles 
 North of Charlotte Town. The country through which 
 it flows is highly fertile, and the lands upon its banks 
 are fast settling. 
 
 The Elliot or West River, takes its rise about fifteen 
 miles above its confluence with the Rivers Hills¬ 
 borough and York. Like the Hillsborough, it is the 
 
 b 3 
 
6 
 
 queen’s county. 
 
 receptacle of many inferior streams, and its banks are 
 highly picturesque. 
 
 Upon the East side of Hillsborough Bay lie the 
 harbours of Orwall Bay and Pownal Bay. These are 
 chiefly settled with Highlanders. The townships 
 Nos. 49, 50 and 57, which embrace their vicinity, 
 contain, together, a population of about three thousand 
 souls. 
 
 Queen’s County is divided into twenty-three town¬ 
 ships, each of which contains about twenty thousand 
 acres. It has, besides the Hillsborough Harbour, 
 three safe, but less capacious havens on the North 
 side of the Island. The largest of these is called 
 Grenville Bay, or New London. This harbour admits 
 vessels drawing about twnlve feet of w’ater, and is the 
 receptacle of several streams, the banks of wdiich, 
 as w r ell as their vicinity, are in general settled with 
 British emigrants or people of British origin. A valu¬ 
 able trade with Newfoundland and the West Indies 
 has been commenced at this port, w’hich, by opening a 
 new market, has contributed to the prosperity of the 
 settlements in its vicinity. 
 
 The New r London townships, Nos. 20, and 21, 
 contain, together, a population of about sixteen hun¬ 
 dred souls. 
 
 The Harbour and Settlements of Harris Bay or 
 Grand and Little Rustico, are next in importance to 
 those of New London. The harbour is inferior to that 
 of New London, as it does not admit vessels drawing 
 
ACADIANS. 
 
 7 
 
 more than nine or ten feet of water. The lands that 
 front the bay, were very early settled by Acadian 
 French, who still occupy the most convenient situa¬ 
 tions for New Settlers. Rustico is a sort of head 
 quarters of the Acadians, and the residence of the 
 Chief French Catholic Priest. They have here a large 
 chapel, and have made considerable clearances; but 
 they are not an industrious race ; and withal, have such 
 strong prejudices against change, deeming every im¬ 
 provement to be useless innovation, that they cannot be 
 considered a thriving people. They divide their time 
 between fishing and farming, and do not succeed well 
 in either. They are in fact a careless and light-hearted 
 people, with the improvidence of Indians, ever pre¬ 
 ferring the passing enjoyments of the hour, to the 
 solid pursuits of industry ; so that, reckoning saints’ 
 days, on every one of which they make holyday, and 
 the time they occupy in shooting and other amuse¬ 
 ments, they probably lose about a fifth of the year. 
 They have, however, plenty, and they desire no more ; 
 so that, however we may regret their peculiarities, or 
 compassionate their backward condition, we cannot 
 fail to admire their cheerful manners and their con¬ 
 tented dispositions. 
 
 The townships of Grand and Little Rustico, Nos. 
 23, 24, and part of 33 and 34, contain together a popu¬ 
 lation of about two thousand souls. 
 
 The harbour of Bedford Bay, or Tracadie, is inferior 
 in size to that of Rustico, with about the same depth of 
 
8 
 
 queen’s county. 
 
 water upon the bar. The inhabitants are here chiefly 
 Highlanders or the descendants of Highlanders, and 
 pursue agriculture as their chief avocation. 
 
 The townships Nos. 35 and 36, which embrace 
 Tracadie and its vicinity, contain together a population 
 of about fifteen hundred souls. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 king’s COUNTY — DIVISION —THREE RIVERS—MURRAY 
 HARBOUR—ST. PETER’S—SAVAGE HARBOUR. 
 
 • 
 
 King’s County, is the Eastern grand division of the 
 Island. It contains twenty-one townships, the im¬ 
 provements upon some of which, it will be necessary 
 to particularize in noticing the several settlements, in 
 the same manner as has been done in the above 
 description of the localities of Queen’s County. 
 
 The Bay of Three Rivers, or George Town, is formed 
 by the junction of the three rivers, Montague, Cardi¬ 
 gan and Brudnelle. Between the Islands of Panmure 
 and Boughton, there is a safe passage, admitting vessels 
 of any burden. Upon a conveniently situated point of 
 land, between the river Cardigan and the united waters 
 of the Brudnelle and the Montague, is placed the 
 county town, which is called George Town. George 
 Town is laid out in town lots, in the same manner as 
 the capital, but has at present but few inhabitants. 
 
 B 4 
 
10 
 
 THREE RIVERS. 
 
 It is however, conveniently situated, and the buildings 
 are fast increasing. 
 
 The fronts of the rivers and the vicinity, are rapidly 
 settling with British emigrants or people of British 
 extraction, who, like those of all the thriving settle¬ 
 ments in the Island, are for the most part occupied in 
 agricultural pursuits. Three Rivers possess the ad¬ 
 vantage of having long established ship yards, in 
 which many fine vessels have been built. This is im¬ 
 portant to the settlers, in creating a market within their 
 reach, which is at all times available for the disposal 
 of the produce of their farms. This harbour is con¬ 
 veniently situated for carrying on the cod fishery of the 
 North side of the Island. It has advantages over 
 every other harbour, in its position for leaving the 
 Gulf of St. Lawrence in the autumn, and in closing 
 later at that season, and, opening earlier in the 
 spring. 
 
 The townships Nos. 51, 52, 53, 54, 59 and 61, which 
 embrace the broad bounds of Three Rivers and its 
 vicinity, contain together a population of about six¬ 
 teen hundred souls. 
 
 Besides the bay of Three Rivers, there are in this 
 county, several other navigable harbours for the smaller 
 class of square rigged vessels, or schooners adapted to 
 the trade with Halifax and Newfoundland. Of these, 
 Murray harbour is the principal. 
 
 Murray Harbour, lies between Three Rivers and 
 Bear Cape. It has all the advantages of position en¬ 
 joyed by the settlers at Three Rivers; but it is a bar 
 
MURRAY HARBOUR. 1 1 
 
 harbour, and does not admit vessels drawing above 
 ten or eleven feet of water. 
 
 The inhabitants of the vicinity of Murray Harbour, 
 are, for the most part, of British descent. Many of them 
 were attracted here by the ship-building establish¬ 
 ments and the trade of the port. Some good farmers, 
 have, however, lately come among the earlier settlers, 
 and great improvement in the system of cultivating the 
 land has been of course the result. 
 
 The townships of Murray Harbour, Nos. G3 and 
 64, contain together a population of about nine hun¬ 
 dred souls. 
 
 The Harbour of St. Peters, is situated on the North 
 side of the Island. It is a bar harbour, and only 
 admits schooners adapted to the trade carried on with 
 Halifax and Newfoundland, and for the fisheries. 
 
 The Townships of St. Peters, Nos. 39, 40, and 41, 
 contain together a population of about sixteen hun¬ 
 dred souls. 
 
 Savage Harbour, in the same vicinity, is only navi¬ 
 gable for boats. The townships, Nos. 37 and 38, 
 which embrace its vicinity, contain together a popula¬ 
 tion of about nine hundred souls. 
 
 Souris, Hollo Bay, Fortune Bay, Howe Bay, and 
 Broughton Bay, have their several settlements, con¬ 
 sisting for the most part of Highlanders, or the descen¬ 
 dants of that hardy race. 
 
 The townships, which embrace the settlements 
 upon these bays, Nos. 55, 56, 43, 44 and 45, contain 
 together a population of nearly three thousand souls. 
 
12 
 
 king’s county. 
 
 The townships of 46 and 47 in this vicinity, contain 
 a population of about twelve hundred souls; and are 
 in course of settlement, and in a rapidly improving 
 condition. 
 
 While enlarging upon these practical statistics, I am 
 quite aware that such details cannot but be tedious to 
 any reader, who might not belong to one of those 
 classes to whom the following pages are especially 
 addressed, and who might not also anticipate having 
 a personal concern in some interest upon w hich these 
 particulars bear. 
 
 But a whole county yet remains to be in the same 
 manner described; and I must intreat the reader who 
 contemplates making this fine Island his home, to lend 
 his attention to a few more details. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 PRINCE COUNTY—DIVISION—FEATURES OF THE COUNTRY 
 RICHMOND BAY—PRINCE TOWN—BEDEQUE—TRYON 
 
 -CASCUMPEC—KILDARE—LITTLE TIGNICHE—GREAT 
 
 TIGNICHE—MIMINEGICHE. 
 
 Prince County, is the western grand division of the 
 Island, and contains twenty-three townships. 
 
 The most remarkable natural feature of this county, 
 is the extensive harbour of Richmond Bay. Richmond 
 Bay is a broad and deep indent of the sea, completely 
 fortified from external danger by a long range of sand 
 hillocks. It has two entrances at its south eastern 
 extremity, and it contains several fine Islands, the 
 principal of which are, Lenox or Indian Island, George 
 Island, and Bunbury Island. It has also several rivers, 
 of which, Ellis or the Grand River, and Goodwood 
 River, are the principal. 
 
 The two entrances into the bay are divided by a 
 sand island, called Fishery Island, about five or six 
 miles in circumference. On the inner side of this 
 
14 
 
 PRINCE TOWN. 
 
 island, there is a deep cove, which is annually fre¬ 
 quented by herrings in incredible abundance, and is 
 unquestionably the best station for the herring fishery, 
 that can be found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The 
 herring season is generally towards the end of May : 
 it lasts about ten or twelve days. During this time, 
 Fishery Cove is crowded with boats; and the scene, 
 rather resembles what is more common in the western 
 islands of Scotland, than any thing we are accustomed 
 to see in a new country. This fishery is a great ad¬ 
 vantage to the settlements around Richmond Bay and 
 to the west, and affords, at a very trifling expense, a 
 wholesome article of diet for the year. 
 
 Near the entrance of Richmond Bay is situated the 
 county town, called Prince Town. It is laid out upon 
 a peninsula formed by Darnley Basin and the March 
 water. It has at present so few inhabitants as not to 
 be worthy of notice on that account. The vicinity, 
 including the whole of the peninsula, however, the 
 banks of Darnley Basin, and the first five miles of the 
 Charlotte Town road, is well settled with a mixed in¬ 
 dustrious population, of which, the descendants of the 
 earlier emigrants from Scotland predominate. 
 
 Prince town is not so well situated with regard to 
 its harbour, as are Charlotte Town and George Town. 
 Small vessels only, can approach the shore, and these 
 cannot come within half a mile of the town, and have 
 but indifferent shelter. Darnley Basin, only admits 
 vessels of about eight feet draught of water. 
 
 The townships of the vicinity of Prince Town, No. 18 
 
BEDEQUE. 15 
 
 and 19, contain together a population of about one 
 thousand five hundred souls. 
 
 There are very extensive clearances at the head of 
 the bay, formerly occupied by the Acadians, and 
 called the French village. The present generation, 
 however, have combined their capital, and purchased 
 lands on the opposite side of the island, on the shore 
 of Halifax or Bedeque Bay, and the former clearances 
 are in the hands of British descendants. The present 
 settlement of the Acadians is called Muscouche. 
 
 Township No. 17, which embraces the greater part of 
 the old, and the whole of the new settlements, contain 
 a population of about one thousand souls. 
 
 The townships No. 16, and 14, which include all the 
 settlements upon the Ellis or Grand River, contain to¬ 
 gether, a population of about nine hundred souls, of 
 which nine tenths are of highland descent. Townships 
 13 and 12, which take in the settlements upon the Good- 
 wood River, contain together about five hundred souls. 
 
 Besides the harbour of Richmond Bay, there are 
 also in this county, those of Bedeque and Cascumpec. 
 
 Bedeque is situated upon the south side of the 
 island. It is chiefly occupied by the descendants of 
 Loyalists, who settled in the island after the American 
 revolutionary war. The timber trade of Bedeque was 
 once considerable; but happily for the interests of a 
 better pursuit, little, or no more, of the staple of that 
 branch of commerce remains. 
 
 The townships Nos. 25 and 26, which embrace the 
 
16 
 
 CASCUMPEC. 
 
 greater part of the settlements of this vicinity, contain 
 together a population of about one thousand souls. 
 
 Eastward of Bedeque, upon the south shore, w ithout 
 the advantage of a harbour, lies the beautiful settle¬ 
 ment of Try on Village on towmship 28, containing a 
 population of about eleven hundred souls. 
 
 We now come to the settlements of the most western 
 district, the principal of which is that of Cascumpec. 
 Cascumpec includes all the settlements upon Holland 
 or Cascumpec Bay. This fine bay is defended from 
 the sea by a range of picturesque sand hillocks. It 
 has a bar at its entrance; but admits vessels drawing 
 about fifteen feet of w r ater, and possesses all the essen¬ 
 tials of a safe and convenient haven. Within the bar, 
 between the sand islands which form the entrance to 
 the inner habour, lies a flat, upon which there is about 
 thirteen feet of w^ater ; so that the larger vessels usu¬ 
 ally fill up their cargoes in the outer harbour. 
 
 Having past the sand islands, as you enter, you sail 
 up the inner harbour, which is about a mile and a half 
 in breadth, surrounded by the richest natural forest, 
 but not without the indications of the existence of 
 civilized man. Upon the left hand, lies a beautiful 
 island called Savage Island, bordered with red cliffs 
 and grassy banks, and entirely covered with a graceful 
 mixture of the most luxuriant forest trees, among 
 which, the beech and maple predominate. Upon the 
 right hand, as you proceed, the land bends round in a 
 crescent shape, and forms, with Savage Island on the 
 
CASCUMPEC. 
 
 17 
 
 opposite side, a tranquil harbour, a little less than a 
 mile in breadth, and about three miles in length. The 
 land which makes the west side of the harbour, is a 
 peninsula formed by Ilchester River. Upon this 
 peninsula, establishments have for many years existed; 
 and a large farm, with all its appurtenances of barns 
 and out-houses, and the tall forest around, present 
 to the eye, a scene not surpassed in beauty, or in 
 its indications of the capability of maintaining a 
 thickly settled population, by any thing to be met with 
 in America. 
 
 At the extremity of the peninsula, store-houses have 
 been built, and a trade, both with this country and 
 Halifax has been sometimes carried on, but not yet to 
 the extent that the resources of the district warrant. 
 The land forms a natural wharf, and ships moor against 
 the beach and make a stage to the shore. 
 
 Cascumpec Bay, is about five miles in breadth. Tt 
 receives the waters of several rivers, of which the 
 principal are, Hill River and the Foxley River. Hill 
 River, penetrates about seven miles into the country in 
 a westerly direction. It is a winding and beautiful 
 stream, sometimes appearing like a lake, and always 
 presenting the most luxuriant foliage to the very 
 water’s edge or the brink of the cliffs, but often with¬ 
 out any indication of its vicinity to any fixed human 
 habitation. The land generally rising as it recedes 
 from the river side, presents, evidences of the con¬ 
 tinuity of a fertile soil, and the promises of future 
 abundance. 
 
18 
 
 CASCUMPEC. 
 
 Foxley River stretches to the south-west about nine 
 miles into the interior, and flows through a country 
 abundantly fertile, but from its generally level cha¬ 
 racter, less picturesque than the banks of the Hill 
 River. 
 
 The settlements of Cascumpec lie at the head of the 
 bay, and upon the smaller rivers near the port. The 
 inhabitants are chiefly Acadians, but there are some 
 British. The Acadian settlement fronts the bay, occu¬ 
 pying the ground between the entrances of Hill River 
 and Foxley River. Here the settlers have erected a 
 chapel, commanding a view of the whole bay and of 
 the sand islands, which, rising into seven conical hills, 
 called the Seven Sisters, add variety to the scenery, in 
 relieving the prospect of the eternal forest. 
 
 The Acadians, as before observed, are too much 
 given to holy-day-making, to thrive among the indus¬ 
 trious settlers of British origin ; and the effect of this 
 is more apparent here than at Rustico. Instead of 
 adding fishing to their better occupation of farming, 
 the Cascumpec Acadians, have been engaged in what 
 is called lumbering; that is, felling and manufacturing 
 timber; and they have experienced the worst effects 
 of that demoralizing pursuit. 
 
 The British settlers of Cascumpec are more thriv¬ 
 ing, especially some few who have attended exclusively 
 to the cultivation of their farms. 
 
 The harbour of Cascumpec is the best station in the 
 Gulf of St. Lawrence for cod fishing establishments. 
 Herrings, in the month of May enter the habour in 
 
CASCUMPEC. 
 
 19 
 
 prodigious shoals, and are easily taken in sufficient 
 quantity to supply the wants of the settlers; but they, 
 sometimes, do not shoal here, which renders a full 
 supply for the purposes of commerce uncertain.* But 
 the cove of Fishery Island before mentioned, at the 
 mouth of Richmond Bay, the great rendezvous of the 
 herrings, is so near, that when they fail at Cascumpec, 
 they may be followed there, about ten days later in 
 the season, without any danger of disappointment. 
 But more will be said on the importance of these 
 fisheries, when we come to speak of the prospective 
 commerce of the Island. 
 
 This discription of Cascumpec, may be thought 
 somewhat more particular than the wild and unculti¬ 
 vated tracts of that district might seem to demand. 
 But that its fertile lands remain more unpeopled than 
 those of other districts of the island, is alone a suf¬ 
 ficient reason for their more particular notice. The 
 settlements of Cascumpec, are destined to be the 
 richest agricultural portion of the island. Its port 
 too, will probably be the principal place for the de¬ 
 barkation of emigrants for the time to come. But 
 were there none of these reasons, it might be par¬ 
 doned as we excuse the inscription upon a grave stone, 
 which stops the traveller to inform him of some 
 
 * I have witnessed the catch of five hundred barrels 
 in the twenty-four hours, with four boats navigated by 
 twelve men : and, as many thousand barrels might have 
 been taken before the season was over, had preparations 
 been made for curing them. 
 
20 
 
 KILDARE. 
 
 humour or scene in which the mind of the inanimate 
 clay beneath, when living, most delighted. It is the 
 record of a spirit departed from the deep but cheerful 
 solitudes, where it rejoiced in extreme youth, and, wan¬ 
 dering amidst the forests, dreamed of flourishing towns 
 and peopled villages, which every creek and every 
 grove foretold—a spirit, departed for ever from the 
 scenes where, and where only, it ever felt the full 
 pleasure of existence, without weariness and the de¬ 
 sire of change. 
 
 About four miles north of Cascumpec Bay, is situ¬ 
 ated Kildare, a settlement consisting of farms along 
 the sea shore. This settlement and its vicinity, pos¬ 
 sess the advantage of an annual deposit of marine 
 manure. The sea, every spring, throws up as much 
 kelp, as to cover the shores from Kildare River to 
 Cape Kildare, two or three feet in depth; and this 
 valuable commodity remains untouched, except by four 
 or five farmers at whose very doors it is deposited, 
 until carried to sea again by the currents and flood- 
 tides, or melted by the heat of the sun. 
 
 The townships Nos. 4, 5, and 6, include the settle¬ 
 ments of Cascumpec and Kildare. They, as yet, con¬ 
 tain together no more than about five hundred souls. 
 
 About ten miles north of Kildare lie Little Tigniche 
 and Great Tigniche. These settlements are situated 
 upon two ponds or small lakes, both of which have 
 outlets into the sea ; but the largest and most northern 
 only, will admit even boats adapted for fishing. Little 
 Tigniche, is, however, the resort of fish of a species 
 
TIGNICHE. 
 
 21 
 
 resembling the herring, and called alewives or gas- 
 peraux. They are taken by the settlers in great 
 quantities. 
 
 These two settlements are wholly peopled by 
 Acadians, whose condition is a remarkable instance of 
 the advantage of closely following one pursuit. They 
 have attended exclusively to farming, and, although, a 
 people wedded to prejudices the most opposed to im¬ 
 provement, and having no knowlege of agriculture but 
 the practice of their forefathers, nor desiring more ; 
 and who, moreover, spend one fifth of the year in holy- 
 day making, they are yet in a condition superior to that 
 of their neighbours of the same origin, and may there¬ 
 fore, be said to flourish. They have abundance of 
 every necessary of life, and are contented and happy. 
 
 There are two ponds of the same description on the 
 Western coast, called Great Miminegiche and Little 
 Miminegiche. They are settled by Acadian French 
 also, with a few emigrant Irish families. They are 
 frequented also by the alewives in the same abundance 
 as Little Tigniche. 
 
 The townships of these settlements, Nos. 1 and 2, 
 contain together a population of about 800 souls. 
 
 On the south coast of this district lies Egmont Bay, 
 the shores of which abound with rich salt marshes, 
 which afford a valuable aid to the agricultural settlers 
 in their vicinity. 
 
 The townships upon Egmont Bay, are 8, 9, and 10. 
 
 The entire population of the island is about forty 
 thousand souls. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CLIMATE—SOIL—NATIVE PRODUCTIONS. 
 
 The climate of Prince Edward Island is highly 
 favorable to the pursuits of agriculture and the health 
 of the inhabitants. It differs from that of England in 
 the winter more than at any other season. The un¬ 
 wholesome and damp chills of an English winter are 
 unknown in the Island; and the diseases which a 
 moist atmosphere originates, are uncommon at any 
 time. The cold is more severe, and endures for a 
 longer period; so that for about four months, all 
 agricultural pursuits, properly so called, are of neces¬ 
 sity suspended. But this is not of so much moment as 
 to materially effect those interests which are connected 
 with the soil; for the winter is both shorter and less 
 severe in the Island, than in those counties on the 
 Baltic which export agricultural produce, and whose 
 inhabitants, are for the most part engaged in the rural 
 occupations. The days too are considerably longer at 
 that season in the Island, than in those countries, 
 
CLIMATE. 
 
 23 
 
 which is material, both as to health and to labor. I 
 shall briefly describe the peculiarities of each season, 
 beginning with that which differs the most from the 
 corresponding season in Britain. 
 
 After a serene and usually dry October, the weather 
 begins to get more unsteady in the early part of 
 November, and sometimes a sharp frost, with showers 
 of snow, takes place before the middle of that month; 
 but when this occurs, the October weather returns 
 again, and commonly lasts about ten days or a fort¬ 
 night. This short interval is called the “ Indian 
 Summer.” AYhen it occurs, the frost does not gene¬ 
 rally set in before the beginning of December; but the 
 cold weather more commonly begins about the 20th 
 November, and gradually increases, until the ground 
 resists the plough, which is ordinarily about the 
 second week in December. The cold now increases 
 rapidly, and the ground becomes covered with snow ; 
 and about Christmas, the frost is as intense as 
 that experienced during the severest winters in Eng¬ 
 land. 
 
 During the months of January and February, the 
 weather is usually steady, with the thermometer very 
 frequently below zero of Fahrenheit. But some¬ 
 times a thaw takes place, and, by laying the ground 
 bare of its winter covering, occasions great incon¬ 
 veniences. The travelling is suspended, or becomes 
 difficult, the roads being rendered unfit for either 
 sledge or wheel carriages; and the hauling of fire¬ 
 wood, which the farmer usually accomplishes at that 
 
24 
 
 CLIMATE. 
 
 season, is prevented. The meadows are sometimes 
 injured too by the exposure of the land to the frost, 
 should it become very severe before another fall of 
 snow. 
 
 During this season, the farmer occupies his time in 
 thrashing out his grain, preparing new fences for the 
 spring, building new out-houses, adding to his dwell¬ 
 ing house, and hauling his firing for the year. The 
 weather is not so cold as to interfere with any outdoor 
 occupations, and the length of day at the winter sol¬ 
 stice, by reason of the difference of latitude, is about 
 an hour longer at Charlotte Town than at London. 
 
 March, as in Europe, is a windy month, and is 
 throughout very changeable. About the close of this 
 month, the snow rapidly melts, and the ice in t&e 
 rivers and bays gets rotten and dangerous to pass; 
 and wholly disappears, except in a late season, about 
 the second week in April. Strong southerly winds 
 now commence, and the last vestiges of frost speedily 
 vanish. Ploughing generally commences about the 
 third week of this month; and before the middle of 
 the next, unless the season be unusually late, the 
 greater part of the seed is committed to the ground. 
 
 The spring is short; and during the month of May, 
 the mean temperature is little lower than is common 
 during the same month in England, though there are 
 occasionally very cold and raw easterly winds. But 
 toward the end of this month, steady weather is gene¬ 
 rally established. 
 
 In the beginning of June, the summer bursts forth ; 
 
CLIMATE. 
 
 25 
 
 and the natural forest, presenting to the eye every 
 variety of vegetation, and filling the air with the 
 fragrant perfumes of the native herbs of the island, 
 gives abundant evidence of the fertility of the soil; 
 and at the same time affords an opportunity for the 
 lovers of nature to gratify their enthusiasm, or in¬ 
 dulge their taste for contemplative enjoyment. 
 
 The brilliancy of a summer night in the vicinity of 
 the bays, cannot be surpassed by that which the finest 
 climates under heaven exhibit. The w T ind is usually 
 still, and the smooth surface of the water reflects the 
 splendid lights of the firmament; and wherever the 
 current runs, the fishes are heard sporting in the 
 stream; and on the shore, w’hole acres are sometimes 
 illuminated by the fire-flies, which emit flashes of 
 light as they sport in the air; and now and then a 
 torch is seen displayed at the bow of the canoe of 
 some Indian engaged in spearing the eels. 
 
 From this time, until the middle or the end of Sep¬ 
 tember, the climate resembles that of the southern 
 coast of England. The thermometer, occasionally, 
 during calm weather, shows a greater degree of heat 
 than we experience in this country ; but the sea breeze 
 seldom fails to lower the temperature, by the time the 
 sun reaches the zenith, so that no inconvenience thence 
 arises. But during the prevalence of the south-west 
 wunds, throughout the greater part of July, August, and 
 September, the thermometer stands pretty steadily at 
 from 75 to SO degrees of Fahrenheit during the mid- 
 
 c 
 
26 
 
 CLIMATE. 
 
 hours of the day; and, at night, the air is soft, whole¬ 
 some, and agreeable. 
 
 The hay harvest commences about the middle of 
 July ; and the white crops are usually cut between the 
 middle and the last of August. 
 
 About the middle of September, the evenings begin 
 to get cool, and the autumn properly commences. No¬ 
 thing can exceed the beauty or the healthiness of this 
 season of the year. The atmosphere is exceedingly 
 rarified, and the deep azure of the clear sky reflects a 
 darker shade upon the waters; while the forests, as 
 they change from the rich green of summer to the 
 thousand autumnal tints which the variety of their 
 kinds exhibit, present scenery unsurpassed in beauty 
 or in the hopes of future plenty which they inspire, 
 by any thing to be met with in the old or new world. 
 
 The Aurora Borealis, though common at all times 
 of the year, is, during the early part of autumn, more 
 splendid than at any other season. It sometimes ap¬ 
 pears like the reflection of the lights of this great me¬ 
 tropolis upon the sky when seen from a distance upon 
 a clear night; but it often covers the whole compass 
 of heaven, and in red, blue, green, and yellow streams, 
 illumines the wide expanse ; and changing its colours 
 as it continually flashes across the firmament, presents 
 a spectacle unrivalled by any other phenomenon which 
 nature any where displays. 
 
 Prince Edward Island, is entirely free from those 
 fogs which infest the surrounding countries of New 
 Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton. This re- 
 
SOIL. 
 
 27 
 
 markable exemption from the visits of that enemy to 
 personal comfort, I have elsewhere endeavoured to 
 account for.* It is not among the least of the advan¬ 
 tages which the island enjoys over the provinces in its 
 vicinity, and over the eastern states of the Union. 
 The air is always clear and salubrious ; and the climate 
 at all seasons, is much healthier than that of the greater 
 part of Upper Canada, or of any part of the United 
 States. 
 
 The intermittent fevers of Upper Canada and the 
 United States, with several other diseases incident to 
 the latter, are of very rare occurrence, or entirely un¬ 
 known in the island: nor does any endemic disorder 
 whatever here exist. There is no country where the 
 peasantry enjoy better health, or where more instances 
 of longevity occur. I believe, though I am not able 
 in this instance to speak from actual investigation, 
 that more people in this island attain the age of a 
 hundred, than in any other part of America. 
 
 The fertility of the soil of Prince Edward Island, 
 is sufficiently indicated by its natural productions. 
 The whole face of the country, with inconsiderable 
 exceptions, is, or was originally, covered with forest 
 trees of the richest foliage, and of great variety in their 
 kinds. The general character of the soil is that of 
 an unctuous loamy mould. In some parts, the pro¬ 
 portions of sand prevail over its more fertile proper¬ 
 ties, and in others, a rich marly loam predominates, 
 
 * See the Emigrant’s Introduction to the British Ameri¬ 
 can Colonies, &c. page 207. 
 
 c 2 
 
28 
 
 SOIL. 
 
 without approaching to the character of the heavy 
 clay soils in Great Britain. Its peculiar properties are 
 generally known by its original productions; and 
 where maple of its several kinds, and beech and black 
 birch, intermixed with the larger species of the fir 
 tribe, prevail and attain the greatest perfection, they 
 are justly considered conclusive evidence of the su¬ 
 perior quality of the soil. 
 
 Sometimes the forests are open, and the trees so far 
 apart, that you may ride through the country without 
 roads; but they are generally too much mixed with 
 trees of a smaller growth, or the way is obstructed by 
 wind-falls, or they have too much underwood to per¬ 
 mit the traveller to make a straight course, even on 
 foot. But, the more obstruction to the first efforts at 
 cultivation that we meet, the more certain we may be, 
 that we have chosen a soil that will soon repay the 
 capital and labor we apply to subdue it to the pur¬ 
 poses of profitable increase. The ground, is every 
 where easily worked. Sometimes the settlers plough 
 with a pair of bullocks or one horse ; and it is rarely 
 necessary to use more than two light horses or two 
 pair of bullocks. The sub-soil is in some places a 
 stiff clay, very well adapted for making bricks; and 
 in others, it is a solid bed of sand stone, which is very 
 easily worked when first dug, and which becomes 
 hard by exposure to the air. This renders it ad¬ 
 mirably adapted for building, though I believe, there 
 is but one house that is worthy of notice, constructed 
 of it, at present in the island. 
 
NATIVE PRODUCTIONS. 
 
 *29 
 
 There are some districts, but they are not extensive, 
 where the soil is very sandy, and hardly at present, 
 worth cultivating. The lands of this discription, in 
 their wild state, are indicated by their productions, 
 which are usually scrubby spruces and other species 
 of firs of stinted growth. 
 
 There are also swampy lands of considerable extent 
 in some of the districts; but as no attempt has been 
 made to bring these into cultivation, we can only con¬ 
 jecture from the natural grass they produce wherever 
 they are not over-run with spruces and thick bushes, 
 that they will, as the population increases, be found 
 easily convertable into good pasture lands. 
 
 A few observations upon the native productions of 
 the island, may not improperly precede, what it will 
 be necessary to say of the produce of the cultivated 
 districts. 
 
 The predominant tree of the forest, is the common 
 beech. This tree attains its perfection upon the best 
 lands : it is a clean and useful wood, and is much used 
 in ship building, being found to be very durable under 
 water. 
 
 Birch, ranks next to beech, as to the quantity which 
 the native forest produces. There are several species 
 of this genus, but the two principal, are, the black and 
 the white. The black birch attains to a much larger 
 size than the beech, and is a useful wood in ship build¬ 
 ing, cabinet making, and mill machinery. 
 
 The white birch does not grow very large, and ex¬ 
 cept for fire-wood, is of no use to the settlers. The 
 
 c 3 
 
30 
 
 FOREST TREES. 
 
 Indians, however, construct their canoes of the bark 
 of this tree. 
 
 There are several kinds of maple which attain to a 
 large size. The principal, is the rock or bird’s-eye- 
 maple. Some of this is annually sent to England, 
 where it is used for cabinet work. It is about the 
 color of satin-wood, but being spotted w T ith marks re¬ 
 sembling birds-eyes, from which it receives its name, 
 it is a much handsomer w'ood; but it will not be much 
 esteemed until it becomes more scarce. 
 
 The sap of the maple tree produces sugar, which is 
 manufactured by the older settlers, especially the Aca- 
 dians and those of highland descent, but is rarely 
 sold; and the more recent English settlers value their 
 time too highly, to employ it in the manufacture of an 
 article, which is but a poor substitute for w T hat the 
 produce of their farms w r ill w T ell enable them to pur¬ 
 chase. 
 
 Elm and oak are found in the island, but the trees 
 of these species are not numerous, nor is their timber 
 valuable. The same with the wilknv, ash, poplar, and 
 several others. 
 
 There are great varieties of the fir tribe, the prin¬ 
 cipal of which, is the yellow' pine. This tree grows 
 to an enormous size, and w'as formerly very plentiful 
 in the island; but except in the district of Cascumpec 
 in Prince County, it has been nearly all cut down and 
 exported. 
 
 The hemlock or hemlock fir is a valuable w’ood, and 
 grows to a size, nearly equal to that of the pine. It is 
 
NATIVE FRUITS. 
 
 31 
 
 exported as lathwood, and used in the country for 
 flooring and wainscotting, but is not durable when ex¬ 
 posed to the weather. It is used also for the founda¬ 
 tion of wharfs always under water, and its bark is 
 valuable for tanning leather. 
 
 There are several kinds of 'spruce, of which, the 
 black is the most valuable. It is used for spars for 
 large vessels, and for the masts of the smaller, and also 
 for the top-sides and decks of ships. 
 
 The white cedar is common in the district of Cas- 
 cumpec, and from its durability is valuable for shingles 
 for exportation to the West Indies. 
 
 There are several wild fruits indigenous, and very 
 plentiful in the island. The more esteemed, are the 
 cranberry, the strawberry, and the raspberry. The 
 common American cranberry is well known in this 
 country; but the sort which the island produces is su¬ 
 perior to any to be found on the continent. Straw¬ 
 berries are plentiful, but they are small, and inferior 
 in flavor to the garden strawberry of this country. 
 The Raspberries, however, which are exceedingly 
 abundant, are not inferior to those which are produced 
 by the most careful cultivation at home. Where the 
 woods have been burnt, or the land cleared and left 
 uncultivated, they are found in great quantities; and 
 they are common in all parts of the island by the road 
 side. 
 
 Besides these, there are wild cherries, blue-berries 
 or wliortle berries, and currants and gooseberries. 
 The wild cherries, have, as a medicine, powerful as- 
 
32 
 
 NATIVE FRUITS. 
 
 tringent qualities. The blue-herries are a very agree¬ 
 able fruit; but the wild currants and gooseberries are 
 scarcely eatable, though the trees of both kinds im¬ 
 ported from England, especially of the currants, whether 
 black, white, or red, produce the most delicious fruit in 
 great abundance. 
 
 There are great quantities of, what in the island is 
 usually called, sarsaparilla; but some of it brought to 
 this country was pronounced by a medical gentleman 
 of eminence, to be a plant unknown to him, and cer¬ 
 tainly not sarsaparilla. It has, however, medicinal 
 virtues, and is used by the Indians to cure what they 
 call a sore chest, in other words, a severe cold. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS—MANURES—GARDEN 
 VEGETABLES—STOCK. 
 
 I shall now proceed to speak of those productions 
 of the country which recompense human industry, and 
 which bear a nearer affinity to the interests of the 
 greater portion of such capitalists as may contemplate 
 transferring their property, and industrious efforts to 
 this colony. 
 
 None of the farinaceous and necessary vegetable 
 productions of the soil of Great Britain, yield a more 
 bountiful return for the labors of the agriculturists at 
 home, than those of the same kind, with less skill and 
 less labor in their cultivation, produce in Prince Ed¬ 
 ward Island; and some, among those which may be 
 considered necessaries, exceed the average returns of 
 their kind in England; while others, to be classed 
 among the luxuries of the table, are produced with 
 less care, and attain to greater perfection in the island, 
 than in any part of England. 
 
 Summer wheat, whether red or white, is at present 
 the great object of the farmer’s attention, and yields a 
 
 c 4 
 
34 
 
 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS. 
 
 bountiful return. Vegetation is much more rapid in 
 the island than in England; and corn committed to 
 the ground about the first or second week in May, is 
 usually reaped before the middle of September. The 
 average increase of the wheat crop, it is difficult to dis¬ 
 cover, as the farmers rarely know the size of their 
 fields, or how much they sow upon any single acre, 
 but have a very erroneous method of estimating the 
 fertility of the soil by the increase upon what they 
 sow. But according to the best calculations I could 
 make, without a thorough practical knowledge of 
 the subject, the average production of the lands, of 
 at least the western districts, under fair cultivation, 
 would not seem to be overrated at from eighteen to 
 twenty-two bushels an acre ; but it is stated by many 
 to be much higher. And this too, it should be remem¬ 
 bered, is the produce of spring wheat upon a soil as 
 yet imperfectly known. That of autumn wheat, would 
 probably much exceed this; but it has not been fairly 
 tried, owing to a prevalent opinion that the winters 
 are too severe to admit its general production, not¬ 
 withstanding it has been successfully cultivated in 
 several instances. Some German settlers, will pro¬ 
 bably before long, put the island farmers in the way 
 of overcoming the difficulties hitherto experienced in 
 raising this more productive species of corn. 
 
 Barley and oats, are the next objects of the farmer's 
 attention. These grow luxuriantly, especially the 
 latter, the average produce of which is certainly not 
 over estimated at forty-five bushels of forty pound’s 
 
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS. 35 
 
 weight an acre. Barley, probably averages about 
 thirty-five bushels. 
 
 Potatoes yield abundantly, under very indifferent 
 cultivation; they are of excellent quality, and well 
 known in the neighbouring provinces. The average 
 produce is variously stated. Upon new land, manured 
 by the ashes of the timber burnt upon it, they will 
 sometimes yield from three hundred and fifty to four 
 hundred bushels an acre, allowing for the waste 
 spaces occasioned by the stumps still standing; but 
 three hundred piled Winchester bushels, is by no 
 means an over estimate for an average crop upon land 
 under the plough, and fairly cultivated. 
 
 The average produce of barley, oats, and potatoes, 
 in Prince Edward Island, very much exceeds that of 
 the best lands in the United States. 
 
 Rye and buck wheat produce abundant crops, but 
 they are not much cultivated. 
 
 Hops grow better here than in any part of Britain, 
 and they are, as far as yet tried, which has not been ex¬ 
 tensively, a certain crop ; which, should it so prove to 
 be, will give the hop growers in the island, a material 
 advantage over the producers in England. There is 
 not, at present, much consumption for them, and they 
 have not yet been exported. 
 
 Some flax is raised in the highland and Acadian 
 settlements, but only for domestic use. The women 
 manufacture it, and employ it to make their husband’s 
 shirts, and for necessary household purposes. Hemp 
 will also grow, but it is not cultivated. 
 
3G 
 
 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS. 
 
 Maize or Indian corn, is sometimes sown, but it 
 does not equal that grown in more southern countries. 
 It is not often ground to flour, but when boiled in its 
 green state, it is a delicious vegetable, and from ex¬ 
 perience I can confidently recommend it as an exceed¬ 
 ingly wholesome article of diet. 
 
 Turnips do well, especially the Sw’eedish. Of the 
 other kinds, the yellow’ is considered the sweetest and is 
 the most prolific. Turnips should be sown about the end 
 of July. They are subject to be cut off by the fly as in 
 England; but a Glostershire farmer used to sow them 
 on a farm at Cascumpec, three days before the change 
 of the moon, wTiich affords time, as it w r ould seem, for 
 them to get their defence against the mischievous in¬ 
 sect, before it recovers from a change wdiich it appears 
 to undergoe at that period.* English farmers will pro¬ 
 bably know r whether the emigrant agriculturist w as in¬ 
 debted to his cunning, or to chance, for his success; 
 w r hich, however, w*as unfailing, after this precaution was 
 practised. Parsnips also grow’ well in the island. 
 
 The rotation of crops, is usually, wdieat with hay seed, 
 after potatoes, where the land is not remarkbly rich; 
 but on the better soils, the farmers generally take an¬ 
 other white crop after the wheat, and sometimes two, 
 
 * This may appear startling, but natural science is every 
 day discovering causes and effects which have hitherto been 
 unsuspected; and in many instances, modern discovery has 
 led to the revival and establishment of facts which were be¬ 
 lieved by our ancestors, but have since been held unworthy 
 the attention of philosophers. 
 
MANURES. 37 
 
 before they lay it down to meadow, or put it again in 
 green crops, or employ manure. 
 
 The grass most commonly used in the country, is 
 the timothy. It is usually sown mixed with cow 
 grass, which is a perennial red clover. This mixture, 
 with the thick rich native white clover, which the land 
 every where spontaneously produces, forms a most 
 luxuriant meadow, and yields under favorable circum¬ 
 stances about three tons per acre. 
 
 As there can be nothing of more importance to the 
 agriculturist than the means of fertilizing his land, so 
 there is no country where the manures, not dependent 
 upon the husbandman’s economy, are more abundant, 
 or more easily obtained; and this, as it need not be 
 added, is a matter of especial importance to those 
 settlers who begin their labours with the axe. If they 
 are near a river, two or three should unite and keep 
 a skow or flat-bottom barge, which they would find 
 greatly facilitate their means of obtaining the rich 
 animal and vegetable deposits of the rivers and 
 bays. 
 
 The richest and most endurable of the marine ma¬ 
 nures, is the muscle mud. It consists of decayed 
 muscles and shells mixed with mud, and is found in 
 many of the rivers. It is said to prolong its fertilizing 
 effects when ploughed into the ground, for twelve or 
 fourteen years, and even for five and twenty or thirty, 
 where the soil is best adapted to retain it. The kelp 
 w r eed has been mentioned, in speaking of Kildare and 
 Cascumpec. 
 
38 
 
 GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
 
 Within all the bays and rivers of the country, there 
 are larger or less deposits of a kind of sea weed, known 
 by the name of eel grass. This is very inferior to 
 kelp or muscle mud, and has been so badly managed, 
 and so little appreciated, that some even think that it 
 produces or encourages the growth of couch-grass, but 
 this is palpably an error. It might just as well be 
 said, that it produces any other weed that is common 
 to the land of a prejudiced and slovenly husbandman. 
 If it be collected in the spring, (and in this case the 
 new grass is the best), and made a compost of, with a 
 fair mixture of stable manure ; or, if that which is 
 half decomposed, and within the harbours (of which 
 there is abundance in every stage of decay) be col¬ 
 lected early in the autumn, and spread a foot deep or 
 more, over the byre and stable yards, it will become an 
 excellent manure for either the white or green crops 
 of the following season. In truth, the value of the 
 marine deposits, as independent manures, is not half 
 known, nor will their worth be fully appreciated, until 
 more agricultural capitalists take up their residence 
 in the country. 
 
 Beans and peas yield well, but I do not know their 
 average produce per acre. Those cultivated in the gar¬ 
 dens are superior to any grown in England. 
 
 All the vegetables common to our English gardens 
 do well in the island; and most of those that are pro¬ 
 duced in this country, by the aid only of artificial heat, 
 or the most careful culture, such as cucumbers, aspa¬ 
 ragus, and melons, attain perfection in the open air in 
 
GARDEN FRUITS. 39 
 
 the island, without the application of much horticul¬ 
 tural skill. 
 
 The ordinary fruits of the table, such as apples, pears, 
 cherries, plums, grow well, but are not yet much culti¬ 
 vated. Currants of all kinds, and gooseberries, as before 
 observed, produce abundantly. Strawberries and rasp¬ 
 berries are too plentiful in the woods to be worth cul¬ 
 tivating in the gardens. With the more delicate fruits 
 which we rear in this country, such as grapes, nec¬ 
 tarines, peaches, some experiments are now making. 
 
 After this list of the spontaneous and artificial pro¬ 
 ductions of the soil of the island, some observations 
 upon the stock naturally follow : I shall then make 
 a few remarks upon the methods of farming practised 
 by the first and the later settlers in the colony. 
 
 From the time of the French, who were in pos¬ 
 session of the island up to the year 1759, until the 
 administration of Governor Ready, between the years 
 1824 and 1830, little change had been made in the 
 stock of horses, black cattle, hogs or sheep, so that the 
 greater part of the stock is still of the original breed. 
 
 The horses are in general small, but strong, hardy, 
 docile and patient of fatigue, and moreover, long-lived. 
 They will draw greater weights ; and when taken di¬ 
 rectly from pasture, will perform longer journeys 
 than English horses, swimming rapid rivers of 
 sometimes a mile in breadth. They are also soci¬ 
 able animals. The most sagacious, when bred at a 
 distance from the populous settlements, will, in the 
 summer time, if far from home, follow you for miles 
 
40 
 
 STOCK. 
 
 in the woods in spite of every obstruction. They 
 dread being alone in the forest at any time. When 
 you travel in the winter behind a young horse, and are 
 for some time silent, the animal will begin to fear he 
 is alone : he will first stop and attempt to look round, 
 but being prevented seeing by his blinkers, he will 
 run and stop again; and after attempting to turn, 
 which he cannot do on account of the snow on each side 
 of the narrow sleigh road, he will start off again, with 
 the action and speed of a scared deer. But the instant 
 you speak, the affrighted animal will stand still, and 
 then resume his ordinary pace, resembling, alike in 
 his confidence and his timidity, a higher order of 
 being degraded to the same dependence, and some¬ 
 times worse treated, in the south, than the beasts of 
 burden in a land unpolluted by the anomalies of social 
 order and the debasing influence of slavery. Horses 
 are supposed on these occasions to scent a bear, an 
 animal for which they have no great predilection; 
 but bears are seldom seen near the roads, and at this 
 season they lie under the snow. It appears to be the 
 love of society, and the sense of dependence, that 
 gives the horse so strong a distaste for the solitude of 
 the woods. 
 
 Governor Ready brought a thorough-bred horse, 
 and a mare to the colony, since which, several others 
 have been imported; so that the breed of both farm 
 and pleasure horses is greatly improved. 
 
 The black cattle of the island are smaller than those 
 of England. The ordinary weight of an ox raised in 
 
STOCK. 
 
 41 
 
 the more cultivated districts, may be about eight hun¬ 
 dred weight without hide and tallow. The beef is 
 however tender when the bullocks are not too much 
 worked, as is often the case among the Acadian and 
 highland settlers, and those who begin to cultivate the 
 land without sufficient capital to enable them to pur¬ 
 chase a horse. 
 
 The milk, butter, and cheese, are inferior to what 
 we are accustomed to get in England; but as new 
 stock has of late years been imported, this source of 
 the agriculturist’s profits will yearly improve. 
 
 As to sheep, they were until very lately, with the 
 exception of a few about the capital, a miserable 
 sample. They are, however, as far as breeding is 
 concerned, as it is obvious to farmers, more easily im¬ 
 proved by importations than any other stock ; and as 
 great attention has been given to their improvement 
 by the agricultural society, whose efforts for the 
 general interests of the country it will be necessary to 
 notice in a future page, there is no question about the 
 result. They are indeed, at this time, nearly double 
 the size the sheep of the island were twenty years 
 ago, and produce a proportionate quantity of wool. 
 
 The swine of the country are suffered to run too 
 much at large to thrive well. Some farmers, have how¬ 
 ever, attended to the breed of them; and, pork may 
 be obtained of as good quality in the Charlotte Town 
 market, as in most parts of England. Some hogs of 
 a large breed were some years ago imported, but I do 
 not know whether they were found profitable to raise. 
 
42 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
 
 But at an hotel in Charlotte Town, the ear of a pig 
 whose carcase weighed nine hundred pounds, was put 
 on the table as a side dish; and mine host, who him¬ 
 self fed the animal, informed his guests, that it was 
 not properly fattened when he killed it, and that he 
 should be able to kill a much larger in a few weeks. 
 
 Domestic fowls, and also geese and ducks, are raised 
 with great ease in the country, and are plentiful. 
 Turkeys, however, for which the climate seems well 
 adapted, since the wild species are abundant in Canada, 
 have not yet been raised in great plenty in any part of 
 the Island. 
 
 Both the methods of cultivation and the breeding of 
 stock, with every other interest connected with agri¬ 
 culture, are in a rapidly improving condition. Before 
 the administration of Governor Ready, little enter¬ 
 prise existed in the country. The island had for a 
 series of years been a prey to mis-government and 
 party dissensions, and every thing which concerned 
 its best interests was at a stand; but this officer, by 
 the example which he set in the cultivation of the 
 soil, and the importation of stock, threw open the legi¬ 
 timate sources of the most profitable pursuits, and 
 pointed out the natural channels of the future wealth 
 of an island, situated in the vicinity of countries pos¬ 
 sessing a less congenial climate and less fertile soil. 
 
 The first great effort towards the improvement of 
 these important interests, was the establishment of an 
 agricultural society, which was founded under the 
 auspices of the governor in the year 1826. This was 
 
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
 
 43 
 
 speedily followed by the institution of branch societies, 
 and the rise of a spirit of inquiry, which will ere long, 
 develope the great natural resources of the country. 
 Through the means of these societies, stock of various 
 descriptions, new seed, and improved implements have 
 been imported; and trials of skill in ploughing, and in 
 the cultivation of the several articles of produce most 
 desirable to improve, h*ive been instituted, and rewards 
 given for the best samples; and these are expedients 
 of which the utility is well known. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 NATIVE ANIMALS OF THE FOREST — FISHES—INSECTS. 
 
 The more remarkable of the native animals, greatly 
 contributed, in the early settlement of the island, to 
 its commerce, as well as the supply of some of the 
 necessary articles of winter clothing to its inhabitants. 
 Among these, the bears, foxes, otters, martins, minks, 
 were the most useful. There are still bears enough 
 found in the country to supply the wants of the settlers, 
 but not enough to commit more mischief than now 
 and then to carry away a pig or a sheep. They are by 
 no means either so savage or so numerous as to be an 
 object of dread to the most timid; and as a price is 
 now set upon their devoted heads, those that remain 
 will soon disappear. 
 
 The red fox-skin is still an article of commerce. 
 Foxes are chiefly shot or trapped by the Indians, and 
 their skins exported to England by the resident mer¬ 
 chants. There are silver grey and black foxes to be 
 met with, but they arc very scarce. 
 
NATIVE ANIMALS. 
 
 45 
 
 Seals, and sea-cows, (the walrus) were formerly 
 numerous upon the north coast of the island. The 
 sea-cows have now quite abandoned the country, 
 though the seals still frequent the coast and the rivers 
 in the spring and autumn. They afford materials for 
 the moccasins worn for shoes by the Indians and 
 some of the older settlers in winter; and oil, though 
 not in sufficient quantity to supply the wants of the 
 inhabitants. The seacows are now supposed to rarely 
 leave the northern shores of the Gulf; but the seals 
 are very numerous about the Magdalen Islands, which 
 lie near the north coast of Prince Edward Island; and 
 they are sometimes taken in considerable numbers by 
 the Acadians of Rustico, who, as before observed, are 
 more employed in the fisheries than any of the other 
 settlers. 
 
 The wild birds of the island are numerous. Those 
 most esteemed for the table, and which afford the best 
 sport, are, the geese, brant or barnacle, and the black 
 duck. These all migrate, with many others, and visit 
 the island in spring and autumn. Partridges are also 
 in great plenty ; but they are too tame to afford any 
 sport. The curlew, snipe, plover, and a variety of 
 birds of their kind, are also numerous. Wild pigeons 
 are likewise plentiful in summer. 
 
 The fishes of the island are delicate in flavor, and 
 plentiful. The cod, herrings, and alewive or gasperaux 
 are objects of commerce, and will therefore claim 
 further attention under that head. The cod, is too 
 abundant to be much esteemed for the table. 
 
46 
 
 FISHES. 
 
 Herrings are plentiful in spring, and to be obtained 
 in autumn. They are larger than the herrings in the 
 European seas, and are equal to any in flavor. 
 
 Alewives are plentiful in spring; but they are not 
 esteemed for the table : they are a dry and insipid fish. 
 
 Salmon are scarce. They are, I believe, only taken 
 in the Morel River, which falls into St. Peter’s Bay 
 on the north side of the island. 
 
 The mackerel, are larger than those upon the Eng¬ 
 lish coast, and they are exceedingly abundant. 
 
 Trout of the finest description abound in almost every 
 stream, but they are very improperly taken at all seasons. 
 
 Eels were formerly very plentiful in the island, but 
 they are now comparatively scarce. They most abound, 
 wherever the bottom of the river is a mixture of mud 
 and sand. Here they embed themselves about a foot 
 deep. They are taken chiefly by the Indians, who 
 pierce the mud with a spear by day, or attract them 
 when they leave their retreats at night, by a flam¬ 
 beau placed at the bow of their canoes. 
 
 Smelt are plentiful, as are many species of flat-fish, 
 none of which are much esteemed. 
 
 Oysters and lobsters are the only good shell-fish to 
 be got in the island. The oysters are extremely good, 
 and of several sorts. There are two opinions respect¬ 
 ing their flavor. Some think them very superior to 
 the English oysters, while others think them inferior. 
 Some kinds are very large, but none are gross. The 
 largest are usually the shape of half a horse shoe, and 
 not much smaller than one of the largest size. 
 
REPTILES. 
 
 47 
 
 As to lobsters, the best description of their abundance 
 that can be given, is, to say, that they are on that, and 
 on that account only, despised by the older settlers. 
 They should never be permitted to appear at dinner, 
 and should not be eaten for breakfast or supper above 
 once a week. After many years observance of this 
 rule, I left the island with as powerful a relish for 
 them as ever. They are in great plentv in the har¬ 
 bours, but the best are caught at sea. When brought 
 to the wharf at Charlotte Town, (for I do not know 
 whether they are ever earned to the market), the boys 
 who usually catch them, sell them for a halfpenny or 
 a penny a piece. 
 
 There are no poisonous reptiles in the island, but 
 there are some harmless snakes, and some musical 
 frogs. The frogs are numerous in the swamps and 
 ponds. They lie in a dormant state under the ice 
 during the winter, and in the spring, when the sun 
 reanimates all around them, they also feel his genial 
 ray, and lift up their voices in general chorus, to the 
 annoyance of some and the amusement of others. But 
 for my part, I would not miss their evening chant for 
 the finest morning concert that London affords.—But 
 this, of course, is matter of taste. Strangers sometimes 
 mistake their harmonious strains for the notes of some 
 unknown bird; but they are more like those of the 
 eolian harp than any thing else I remember. 
 
 But if there are no dangerous reptiles there are 
 several troublesome insects. The musquito or com¬ 
 mon gnat, the black-fly or gallinipper as it is very ap- 
 
48 
 
 INSECTS. 
 
 propriately called in Newfoundland, and the sand-fly, 
 are all that are worth naming. These are exceedingly 
 annoying in the woods during the months of July and 
 August. The first is found wherever the forest exists, 
 but the other two are only met with in particular 
 situations. Charlotte Town, is however, free from all; 
 nor indeed, are any to be found where the woods are 
 cleared away; and none are so troublesome in the 
 island as upon the continent. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, AND PROSPECTIVE COMMERCE. 
 
 The commerce of the island consists in the export 
 of its productions to Great Britain, the West Indies, 
 and the neighbouring provinces, and in the import of 
 such necessary articles as the mother country or the 
 sister colonies can supply. The sources of production 
 have been various, and often so unprofitable, that there 
 has hitherto been some difficulty in making the ex¬ 
 ports balance the necessary imports, from which has 
 arisen a scarcity of money. The improvements in 
 agriculture, and the increase of industry and capital, 
 have, however, since the better administration, of the 
 government of the colony, opened the channels of 
 commerce, most natural to a fertile land; and the 
 yearly increase of the produce of the soil, warrants 
 the assumption, that the island will soon export more 
 than will cover its necessary importations. 
 
 The exports to England formerly consisted chiefly 
 
 D 
 
50 
 
 COMMERCE. 
 
 of timber. Butthis is the very worst branch of trade that 
 a rural population could be called upon to support. 
 It begets dissolute habits, and is a nursery of moral 
 depravity. It has diverted the agriculturist from his 
 more steady pursuits ; and if it has sometimes been a 
 great source of profit to a few, it has only accumulated 
 what has been speedily dissipated; and it has in nu¬ 
 merous instances been the ruin of those previously in 
 easy or affluent circumstances; and thus the western 
 districts of the island, where it still lingers, and which, 
 beyond question, comprise the most fertile portion of 
 the country, are less populous and less improved than 
 the middle and eastern. 
 
 As the timber trade declined, ship building increased. 
 This has proved a more profitable source of produc¬ 
 tion, and furnished a valuable export to Great Britain. 
 The reason of the dissimilarity of these pursuits is ob¬ 
 vious. The timber was felled or manufactured by 
 farmers, who not only neglected a better pursuit 
 during the months of winter in which they generally 
 worked, but who were often called upon to complete 
 their contracts or perform some incidental labor dur¬ 
 ing seed time or harvest, to their irreparable loss. 
 Ships are built by a class of men, who, except in rare 
 instances follow no other occupation; and thus the 
 principle of just division of labor, not being violated, 
 both the farmer and the ship builder acquire the legi¬ 
 timate profits of their distinct avocations, while their 
 combined labors contribute to the general welfare of 
 the colony. 
 
COMMERCE. 
 
 51 
 
 The exceptions to this due distribution of labor, for 
 the most part occur among the earlier settlers, espe¬ 
 cially the Acadians, who acquired the art of ship 
 building and the taste together, during the period that 
 system was “ out of joint” in Europe, and men’s 
 minds were more set upon “ cutting foreign throats ” 
 than in seeking out the best channels for the exertion 
 of steady industry. The farmers, if such they may be 
 called, at that time, built many small vessels and sold 
 them, usually, in Newfoundland, at apparently large 
 profits. But many better ship builders are now esta¬ 
 blished at various parts of the island, and a number of 
 ships from one hundred and fifty to five hundred tons, 
 and some still larger, have been at different times 
 constructed and sold in England, or employed in the 
 trade of the colony. 
 
 Corn has also been exported to England, but in no 
 great quantity; and if it has not been a source of 
 profit, this has doubtless been owing more to bad 
 management than to any other cause; for a sample 
 fetched, on one occasion, the highest price at Mark 
 Lane. But as the population of the island increases, 
 it will be necessary to export more produce than will 
 balance the wants of the settlers in the productions of 
 the West India islands; and they will do well, by the 
 strictest regulations, to insure the shipment of corn 
 to this country, of a quality to command remunerating 
 prices. 
 
 Pot-ash ought long ago to have been exported to 
 England. It was at one time, though it is not now so 
 
 D 2 
 
52 
 
 COMMERCE. 
 
 much in demand as formerly, the most valuable export 
 from Canada, and the staple of its production, the 
 beech tree, is super-abundant in the island. 
 
 The returns from Great Britain, are made in manu¬ 
 factured articles of every description, with salt, tea, 
 wine, iron, and all such other necessaries and luxuries 
 as a new country does not produce. 
 
 The exports to Newfoundland, have usually been 
 more profitable than those to Great Britain. They 
 have chiefly consisted of boards sawn at water mills 
 in the island, shingles, which are (if the expression 
 may be allowed) a kind of wooden slates, the best of 
 which, are made of white cedar, and staves, spars, 
 beef, pork, oats, hay, and many vessels for the 
 grand fisheries of that island. The returns from New¬ 
 foundland have been usually made in West India 
 produce. 
 
 The exports to the West Indies, have been much 
 the same as those to Newfoundland, with the addition 
 of dryed cod-fish and salted herrings, and ale wives or 
 gasperaux; and the returns have commonly been, in 
 rum, sugar, and molasses. This trade has not been 
 long open, but is greatly on the increase. 
 
 The intercourse with Miramichi and Halifax, has 
 been extremely valuable, and might be made much 
 more so, did the island merchants take care to keep 
 the balance of trade in their favor. 
 
 There was once a considerable export of furs from 
 the island; but as this branch of trade must decrease 
 as population increases, it is not worthy of particular 
 
COMMERCE. 
 
 53 
 
 notice in this brief review of such interests only, as 
 nearly concern those who may contemplate residing in 
 the colony. 
 
 But the two grand branches of prospective com¬ 
 merce are as yet in their infancy: the cod fisheries, 
 and the export trade in corn. They await the further 
 ingress of British capital and enterprise. But as the 
 country is every day becoming better known, and the 
 emigration and establishment of settlers with the 
 means of turning the soil of the island and its rich 
 fisheries to profitable account is yearly increasing, 
 labor and capital, in due proportions, will ere long, 
 call forth the natural capabilities of the country, to 
 the advantage of every interest connected with its 
 welfare. 
 
CHAPTER VITI. 
 
 INHABITANTS—RELIGIOUS SECTS—EDUCATION. 
 
 After the topographical outline at the beginning of 
 this sketch, and what has been said of the trade and 
 agriculture of the island, it is necessary to say but 
 little concerning the origin, character, and proper 
 avocations of its inhabitants. The settlers are chiefly 
 English and Scotch, with an inconsiderable number of 
 Irish, and American loyalists ; and there are four set¬ 
 tlements of Acadian French, which probably do not 
 together contain above four thousand souls. 
 
 A remnant of the native Americans still inhabit the 
 island, and may amount to between fifty and sixty 
 families in all. Their chief settlement is upon Lenox 
 or Indian Island, in Richmond Bay. Here they have 
 a Catholic chapel, near which their chief usually re¬ 
 sides. They are of the Micmac tribe which was 
 formerly conquered by the Mohawks. They inherit 
 
RELIGIOUS SECTS. 
 
 55 
 
 less of the energy, but not less of the independent spirit, 
 of their ancestors, than the Indians of the tribes better 
 known in Canada. All that need be here added con¬ 
 cerning them is, that they form no obstacle to the pro¬ 
 gress of the settlers, before the effects of whose in¬ 
 dustry, they are perceptibly dwindling away; for not¬ 
 withstanding their conversion to Christianity, and the 
 penury of sustenance which they sometimes endure, 
 they cannot be induced to cultivate the ground; and 
 as the settlements increase, their means of subsistence 
 must of course diminish. They understand but little 
 of the nature of religion, and are supposed to be re¬ 
 strained from those excesses into which, the want 
 which they suffer would drive any other people, more 
 by their native pride, than by the influence of Christian 
 precepts. 
 
 The churches or religious sects which predominate 
 among the English and the descendants of English, 
 are, the Church of England and the Methodists; and 
 those which are ascendant among the natives or the 
 descendants of the natives of Scotland, not including 
 all the Highlanders, are, the Presbyterians and Seceders. 
 Some of the Highlanders, the Irish, and the Acadian 
 French, profess the Romish faith. But to the credit of 
 the settlers in general, it may be added, that great good¬ 
 will subsists between those of the most adverse creeds. 
 The clergy, generally, are estimable and enlightened 
 men, and well disposed to encourage those feelings, 
 which all who profess Christianity are bound to en¬ 
 tertain. In fact, there is no such thing as a religious 
 
56 
 
 EDUCATION. 
 
 party among the settlers; and a moral man, or in 
 other words, a Christian in practice, is never asked to 
 what church or sect he belongs, as though the forms 
 by which he should offer up his devotions could make 
 him a better or worse citizen, or more honest or dis¬ 
 honest man. Such at least is the feeling and the prac¬ 
 tice of a large majority of the people of Prince Ed¬ 
 ward Island.* 
 
 * The sight of two teachers of Christianity, who give 
 opposite or different readings to passages of scripture upon 
 which we found the most seemingly important religious 
 doctrines and principles, inspires some such feelings as 
 struck the able chronicler of the sayings of the literary 
 Goliah of the last age, when he first saw the two eminent 
 politicians in the extremes of party, Mr. Wilks, and the giant 
 critic his great idol, tete-a-tete in discourse. It presented 
 to his mind, the happy days foretold in scripture, when the 
 lion shall lie down with the kid. There is surely no true re¬ 
 ligion without respect for the opinion of just men, however 
 opposite their sentiments, in apparently the most material 
 points. At least, we find this emphatically enjoined by the 
 greatest of the apostles, however men may read, who love 
 to excite and exercise their passions, instead of employing 
 their nobler reason, in the examination of the sacred text, 
 and in the practice of their religious forms and addresses 
 to the Father of all. “ Above all these things,” says 
 saint Paul, “put on Charity, which is the bond of per¬ 
 fectness.” Col. iii. 14. 
 
EDUCATION. 
 
 57 
 
 The education of youth, is a prime object of legis¬ 
 lative care; and the scholastic institutions of the 
 country are upon the most respectable footing. There 
 is a national college at Charlotte Town ; and there are 
 minor establishments in the county towns, and in 
 almost every district. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 GOVERNMENT—LAWS AND COURTS OF LAW. 
 
 The constitution, and the institutions of government, 
 in Prince Edward Island, do not essentially differ from 
 those we enjoy at home. The constitution is formed 
 upon the model of that of the mother country, all 
 power being vested, in a governor, council, and house 
 of assembly. The governor represents the sovereign 
 of Great Britain, the council, the members of which 
 are individually styled honorable, represents the House 
 of Lords of the Imperial Parliament, and the house of 
 assembly, stands in the place of the British House of 
 Commons. The members of the council are usually 
 nominated by the governor, and appointed by the 
 matidatnus of the sovereign; and the members of the 
 House of Assembly, are elected after the same forms 
 as the members of the British House of Commons. 
 The council sit also in an executive capacity. They 
 then represent the privy council, at home, and act as 
 advisers of the governor, who cannot exercise the 
 
LAWS. 
 
 59 
 
 more material functions of government, without their 
 advice and consent. 
 
 The laws of England, which existed before the 
 colony possessed a representative constitution, are at 
 present in force ; but such acts as now pass through 
 the British Parliament, do not extend to the colony, 
 unless so intended and so expressed. The laws of the 
 parent state, are explained or modified by the island 
 legislature, as the circumstances of the country re¬ 
 quire ; and this is especially necessary in the penal 
 code; for crime, so often the offspring of want, is 
 more rare in the island than at home, and does not 
 need the same examples of severity that may be ne¬ 
 cessary in a populous country. The whole poor 
 law code, also, would be inapplicable to a country 
 which has not, nor cannot have, any poor, except the 
 aged and sick; and it must be but in rare instances, 
 that these have no relations upon whom they have 
 stronger claims than upon the public. 
 
 Besides the statute law, and common law of England, 
 the colonists have a statute book of their own, to 
 which every session of the legislature materially adds. 
 All laws, however, respecting real property, require 
 the assent of the sovereign—a wholesome precaution 
 against the consequences of the inexperience of the 
 members of the Colonial Parli<ynent, which is some¬ 
 times apparent in their legislative proceedings. 
 
 The administration of justice, and the procedure 
 and forms of the courts of law, are the same as those 
 of England. The governor is chancellor, and the chief 
 
60 
 
 COURTS OF LAW. 
 
 justice presides over the supreme court, which in¬ 
 cludes all the courts of common law at home. The 
 chief justice, and the attorney-general, are appointed 
 by the sovereign, but the high sheriff is appointed by 
 the governor. Barristers, and Solicitors and Attor¬ 
 neys, are not distinct as in this country, and once 
 admitted, they practise, and in all the courts. 
 
 There are also county courts, and justices of the 
 peace throughout the island. The latter take cogni¬ 
 zance of small debts, and have the same duties to per¬ 
 form as the magistrates in England. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 AGRICULTURIST EMIGRANTS—PRICE OF LAND AND TERMS 
 
 AND CONDITIONS OF LEASING—PROSPECTS OF NEW 
 SETTLERS. 
 
 The reader is perhaps now in possession of sufficient 
 information concerning Prince Edward Island and the 
 condition of its inhabitants, to enable him to judge of 
 the prospects generally which that colony holds out 
 to industrious individuals of limited capital; I shall 
 therefore proceed to such observations as may seem 
 best calculated to assist him in applying the informa¬ 
 tion he has acquired to his own particular objects of 
 enterprise, supposing them to relate to the cultivation 
 of the soil, to trade, or to the exercise of his genius in 
 the mechanical arts. 
 
 Of all those who emigrate, the agriculturist w’ill ex¬ 
 perience the greatest change, and in the majority of 
 instances the most solid benefit. Yet it is certain that 
 more emigrants of this class return, than of any other. 
 But the reason of this is, that more agriculturists than 
 persons of any other class engage in the undertak- 
 
AGRICULTURISTS. 
 
 02 
 
 ing, without previously acquainting themselves with 
 the true condition of the country to which they em¬ 
 bark ; and some, as they muse o’er their lonely track, 
 dream of landing in a country so totally different from 
 that which they find on their arrival, that they at once 
 get dispirited, and if they are able, return. The sight of 
 a tall forest, encircling sometimes a single farm, and 
 the stumps of the trees up to the doors of the ill-con¬ 
 structed dwellings of many of the settlers, who seem 
 to know no more of the theory or practice of agricul¬ 
 ture than of architecture, quite disheartens them. In 
 some cases, the English farmer goes alone; and lands, 
 perhaps, where the settlers are from a different part of 
 the United Kingdom, and probably speak a different 
 dialect; or they may be of foreign extraction, and of a 
 different religious sect; and although he is not an 
 alien in their eyes, they to him are as strangers. But 
 all this, arises in a great measure, from the want of a 
 better system of emigration. These distinctions, will, 
 however, in effect vanish, if he remains till he dis¬ 
 covers, that they neither separate him from the great 
 British family of which he was born and bred a mem¬ 
 ber, nor deprive him of the substantial blessings of 
 our free institutions, nor of the prospects of the profit¬ 
 able application of his capital and industry. He wall 
 not have landed among a people with whom he has no 
 common interest and feelings. Nevertheless, if this 
 situation is so disheartening as to cause some to aban¬ 
 don their objects, it is an evil that all should attempt 
 to avoid ; and the best means of doing this, is to go— 
 
TERMS OF PURCHASE. 
 
 63 
 
 not alone—but in company. Let several associate 
 and unite their interests and efforts, or at least embark 
 together and take up their residence in the same 
 settlement.* 
 
 And now, if the agriculturist reader will lend his at¬ 
 tention for a moment, we will suppose his situation, as 
 an emigrant in the prime of life, with a small capital; 
 and let us see what prospect there may be of his turn¬ 
 ing this to profitable account in Prince Edward Island. 
 You may then compare the condition in which it may 
 there place you, with that which your utmost expecta¬ 
 tions and the favors of fortune might realize at home. 
 
 We will suppose that you arrive at Charlotte Town 
 early in the season. Here you will find the agents of 
 the greater part of the proprietors, a list of whose 
 names are appended to this account of the colony. 
 You will now be able to inspect such lands as are 
 for sale, make the necessary inquiries, select your 
 allotment, and make your purchase judiciously. The 
 price of land, you will find vary from five shillings to 
 twenty shillings per acre. This difference aiises more 
 from difference of situation, than from any so great 
 disparity in the quality of the arable lands of the island. 
 
 The terms and conditions upon which you will be 
 able to purchase are as follows :— 
 
 You will be put in possession of the land for which 
 you agree, upon paying one quarter part of the pur¬ 
 chase-money, and coming under an agreement to pay 
 
 * More practical hints on this subject may be found in 
 the Emigrant’s Introduction, page 277. 
 
64 
 
 LEASING. 
 
 the annual interest of five per cent for the remainder, 
 until the total amount be paid off. Upon payment of 
 one half the sum agreed upon, you will be entitled to 
 a deed in fee simple. The remaining half of your 
 purchase-money must be paid in five equal instal¬ 
 ments ; and in case of the failure of payment, the land¬ 
 lord, by the terms of the agreement will have a right 
 to sell your lot, satisfy his demand, returning you 
 what balance may remain in his hands. 
 
 If you should prefer leasing, or be under the ne¬ 
 cessity so to do, you may take a lease on the following 
 terms, with the right to purchase at any time during 
 the continuance of the term. The term will be :—for 
 sixty-one years certain, or the longest of three lives, 
 or, for ninety-nine years upon a scale of rent as 
 
 follows:— 
 
 First and second year. No rent. 
 
 Third year. 0 3 per acre. 
 
 Fourth year . 0 6 ditto. 
 
 Fifth year. 0 9 ditto. 
 
 Sixth year. 1 0 ditto. 
 
 To continue for the remainder of the term at one 
 shilling per acre, unless purchased according to the 
 above terms. 
 
 The rents may be paid either in money, or the pro¬ 
 duce of the land at the market price ; or in labor, when 
 convenient to both landlord and tenant. 
 
 In order to facilitate the calculation concerning the 
 results of good management, we will suppose that you 
 
FIRST OPERATIONS. 
 
 65 
 
 have a capital of £400 and that you prefer purchasing 
 to leasing; and having chosen a favorable situation, 
 give the highest price stated in the above scale, with 
 ten pounds for your log-house habitation. You are 
 now then the proprietor of a hundred acres of land, 
 fertile indeed, but which, without labor quite apart 
 from that of ordinary tillage, would remain, for agri¬ 
 cultural purposes eternally unproductive. 
 
 Your first object will be, to remove the timber 
 that obstructs cultivation. In order to facilitate this, 
 you are strongly recommended to carry out a farm 
 servant, if you can obtain one for six months at forty 
 shillings a month with lodgings and provisions, or 
 thirty shillings a month for the year. The price you 
 will otherwise pay in the country will be about seventy 
 shillings an acre, for cutting down, chopping up, and 
 burning and fencing; and we will in this calculation 
 allow this to be your outlay, and suppose that you 
 have in other respects managed judiciously; and that 
 you have ten acres prepared for seed at the expense 
 of £40; and to simplify the estimate, we will con¬ 
 sider the whole to be sown with wheat, and grass 
 and clover to succeed. In spite of perhaps a fifth of 
 the ground to be deducted on account of the stumps 
 standing, this will yield about sixteen bushels an 
 acre, which being valued at the fair average price of 
 four shillings and sixpence a bushel amounts to £36. 
 Thus, your very first crop will return you the proper 
 expense of clearing the land. The expenses of putting 
 
66 
 
 OUTLAY. 
 
 in the seed and gathering in the harvest vve do not at 
 present take into account. 
 
 It is especially necessary to let the first year’s clear¬ 
 ance bear one, two, or even three crops of hay before 
 it is again broken up, as the want of fodder for stock 
 is more felt than any other inconvenience, upon com¬ 
 mencing in the woods. 
 
 But not to go into the most minute calculations, 
 we may perhaps state the agriculturist’s whole outlay 
 and his returns, and improved solid possession, two 
 years, after his arrival, provided he be industrious 
 during the first winter, for there is less danger of the 
 second, somewhat as follows : 
 
 ORIGINAL PURCHASE-MONEY AND OUTLAY FOR 
 
 TWO YEARS. 
 
 Purchase-money 100 acres land.£100 
 
 Clearing 30 acres at £4. 120 
 
 Two years provision for a small family and servant 50 
 
 Tools. 5 
 
 Seeds. 10 
 
 One horse .. 12 
 
 One pair bullocks. 16 
 
 Two cows. 12 
 
 Twelve sheep. 9 
 
 Swine. 5 
 
 House . 10 
 
 Barn and byre... 8 
 
 Total outlay 
 
 £357 
 
PROFITS. 
 
 67 
 
 VALUE OF PROPERTY AFTER TWO YEARS, AND 
 
 RECEIPTS DURING THAT PERIOD. 
 
 Seventy acres in wood... £ 70 
 
 Thirty ditto cleared land, valued at 10s. per acre less 
 
 than clearing and first cost together. 141 
 
 First year’s crop .. 36 
 
 Second ditto wheat off 20 acres. 72 
 
 Trinothy and cow-grass off 10 acres, 20 tons at £ 2 . . 40 
 
 Original stock. 54 
 
 Manure... 10 
 
 Tools .. 5 
 
 House . 10 
 
 Burn and byre... 8 
 
 £446 
 
 Original purchase-money and total outlay .... 357 
 
 Increased value of the estate . .. 89 
 
 Such calculations, are however, it must be confessed, 
 no more than a general guide to an average result. 
 Things are omitted on both sides, and others perhaps 
 differ very much from what will in individual cases be 
 the results of experiment. How uncertain, for in¬ 
 stance, must be any calculation of the expenses of a 
 family for two years. The number of which it is com¬ 
 posed is not so material as the regard or disregard 
 paid to economy. Some will very prudently lay in 
 their winter’s stock of provisions before prices aug¬ 
 ment, while others will not only neglect this, but re¬ 
 ject the ordinary provisions of a new settlement; and 
 some must have luxuries that no calculation could esti¬ 
 mate correctly. These matters must therefore rest 
 upon the emigrant himself. It is enough, that he 
 
68 
 
 RESULTS. 
 
 here sees what he may accomplish by prudence and 
 activity, with the above capital, in the two first and 
 most trying years he may expect to encounter in esta¬ 
 blishing his fortunes in the new world. 
 
 If the above calculation comes any thing near the 
 truth, the farmer, after two years, is about one fourth 
 richer than when he left home : but what is more than 
 this, he has overcome all the real difficulties of a new 
 country, and is in a fair way of much more rapidly im¬ 
 proving his property. Moreover, he has a sum in 
 hand to dispose of, as experience, which is “ better 
 than precious stones,” and “ richer than gold,” may 
 point out as the most advantageous for the future wel¬ 
 fare of his increasing family. 
 
 Should you indeed, instead of the above sum, be 
 able to carry with you twice or three times that 
 amount, you may advantageously employ a part of it 
 in the purchase of wild lands upon speculation; but 
 this is by no means recommended to the smaller capi¬ 
 talists, nor indeed to any, before they have acquired 
 some experience and settled themselves for life. 
 
 Many persons emigrate with the determination of 
 becoming agriculturists, who have not been accus¬ 
 tomed to labor, and have no experience in farming. 
 Their want of experience will not in such case be of 
 the disadvantage they may at first dread, but their want 
 of the habit of manual labor will materially affect their 
 success upon a new farm. All such persons therefore, 
 should they be able, I am disposed to recommend, to 
 purchase a hundred acres of land with some improve- 
 
SOCIETY. 
 
 69 
 
 ment upon it. This may be almost always accom¬ 
 plished, as many of the older settlers prefer new land, 
 and are ready to sell their improvements at a much 
 less price than land as well improved, without the use 
 of your own hands, will cost you. A very good farm 
 with thirty acres cleared, and a house with two apart¬ 
 ments, may sometimes be purchased for 150 or £200, 
 according to the condition in which it may be at 
 the time. Thus much for the prospects of the agricul¬ 
 turists, and of such as contemplate engaging in that 
 generous occupation. 
 
 The country is well adapted for the retreat of per¬ 
 sons of small income and increasing family. Several 
 independent gentlemen, well acquainted with society 
 in its more advanced stages, have lately taken up their 
 abode in the island, and made their knowledge useful 
 in effecting improvement in its existing institutions. 
 Any remarks concerning the change of condition 
 which emigrants of this class will experience, do not 
 properly belong to the present inquiry ; but it may be 
 observed in passing, that all, or the greater part, of 
 the necessaries of life, are cheaper in the island than 
 in England ; and that, there are no direct taxes for 
 the support of government, nor taxes of any kind, ex¬ 
 cept some trifling imposts, too inconsiderable to be 
 taken into any, except the most minute, calculations. 
 
 At Charlotte Town, the seat of the government, and 
 the residence of the greater part of the settlers of in¬ 
 dependent incomes, the society is superior to that 
 which we usually meet with in towns in Great Britain 
 
70 
 
 TRADESMEN. 
 
 of six times the population of the Capital of the 
 Island. 
 
 It is not necessary to enter into minute estimates of 
 the prospective profits of the various branches of busi¬ 
 ness which are open to the tradesman w'ho may carry 
 out a limited capital with the intention of following 
 his former pursuits. The difference of his situation, 
 and that of the agriculturist, is obvious. The agri¬ 
 culturist, enters upon, at least if he purchase new land, 
 an entirely new system, to effect ultimately the results 
 of his former occupations; whereas, the tradesman or 
 storekeeper, changes but the scene of his exertions, 
 and perhaps the articles in which he has been accus¬ 
 tomed to deal; or he deals in a more general assort¬ 
 ment. The most material variation in his mode of 
 transacting business, will arise from the necessity of 
 taking, to a certain extent, his payments in the pro¬ 
 duce of the soil instead of money, owing to the present 
 scarcity of the circulating medium, for reasons already 
 assigned. This, however, is not attended with the 
 inconvenience that might at first appear, as he may 
 either export it himself, or dispose of it to those en¬ 
 gaged in the inter-colonial commerce before mentioned. 
 
 Many storekeepers have been very successful in 
 Charlotte Town ; but none should make arrangements 
 for establishing themselves in business there, before 
 they have visited the country. They should first 
 ascertain the exact nature and extent of the trade of 
 the island; and they may then with more confidence 
 
SHIP-BUILDING. 
 
 order their merchandize from this country, and enter 
 with less risk into their new speculations. 
 
 As to persons who may contemplate engaging in 
 ship-building, they are strongly recommended not to 
 calculate upon being able to embark advantageously 
 in that branch of business, unless they have previously 
 made some engagement with the agents of one of the 
 resident merchants, or one of the proprietors of land, 
 residing in England. It has not, hitherto, been a 
 very profitable employment to individuals engaged in 
 it; although it has, as before stated, produced a valu¬ 
 able article of export from the colony; but it is to be 
 hoped that it will ere long be attended with more 
 advantage to all who embark in it. None of the other 
 mechanic arts, seem at present to afford certain and 
 constant employment for any considerable capital, 
 although Charlotte Town and some of the settlements 
 offer very lair prospects to joiners, masons, sadlers, 
 brick-makers, and tanners: and they are not over¬ 
 stocked with wheelwrights, blacksmiths, shoemakers, 
 tailors; nor indeed, with artisans of any kind who find 
 employment in our English towns. 
 
 The other branch of business which holds out ex¬ 
 pectations for the successful employment of capital, is, 
 the hitherto neglected fisheries. The fisheries are by 
 their nature unlimited. They supply an article of 
 food for which the world is a market; and wherever 
 established, they stimulate rural industry, or favor the 
 manufacturing interests. Unlike the frequent results of 
 
72 
 
 FISHERIES. 
 
 speculations in the productions of art, increasing supply, 
 here begets only emulation, not destructive competition. 
 
 Cod is so plentiful upon the coast at some seasons, 
 that they may be caught at the very harbours’ mouths 
 in great quantities, in, from four to six fathoms of 
 water. This occurs in the spring, at which season, 
 they may be taken in seines, sometimes even within 
 the harbours. At other seasons, when they leave the 
 immediate vicinity of the harbours, they are to be 
 taken in equal quantities, in much shallower water 
 than that in which they are found on the banks and 
 coasts of Newfoundland. Towards autumn, they ap¬ 
 proach the shores again; and it is worthy of remark, 
 that the fishing craft upon these coasts, may keep the 
 sea longer than vessels of the same burden are able 
 to do upon the coast of Newfoundland, by reason of 
 the gulf affording more shelter during the stormy 
 weather at this season, than the open Atlantic, which 
 washes the shores of Newfoundland. 
 
 The island is indisputably the best fishing station in 
 the seas of North America ; and the harbours on the 
 north side, are the most conveniently situated for the 
 successful prosecution of this lucrative and important 
 pursuit. The only reasons that can be given for the 
 neglect of so obvious an advantage, are, the want of 
 capital among those interested in the welfare of the 
 colony, and the accidental ignorance of capitalists esta¬ 
 blished in the other provinces, of the advantages the 
 shores of this Island possess. But so much capital is 
 
FISHERIES. 
 
 73 
 
 now engaged in developing the best natural resources 
 of the colony, and in its general improvement, that 
 this rich mine of wealth will be no longer neglected. 
 
 But since so little has been hitherto done, no exact 
 idea can be given to the British fisherman, of the 
 modes of securing his profits which he will have to 
 adopt. The principle upon which the connection be¬ 
 tween the operator and the capitalist has been hitherto 
 generally managed, is such as obviates the necessity 
 of wages. The capitalist supplies the boats and outfit, 
 and receives a share of green or uncured fish, in cer¬ 
 tain proportions depending upon the condition and 
 size of the boat and the proportionate number of hands 
 which she may happen to carry. 
 
 This is an equitable method of dealing, and the 
 only one that will succeed in the country at present. 
 And as the staple of this valuable branch of commerce 
 is in abundance, the capitalist need not fear the ab¬ 
 sence of the fisherman, nor the fisherman the want of 
 the capitalist’s necessary assistance. 
 
 The larger capitalist, needs no information that 
 could be comprised within the limits of this sketch; 
 but as the fisheries of the island, are calculated to be¬ 
 come the source of a branch of commerce, not open 
 to the larger capitalists only, but which will always 
 afford profitable employment, under good management, 
 to a limited capital, I shall venture to give a single 
 hint, some attention to which, may possibly remove 
 the chief obstacle that might frustrate the smaller 
 capitalist’s endeavours; and as I know of no other 
 
 E 
 
74 
 
 FISHERIES. 
 
 impediment, his success would seem to depend upon 
 the removal of this single apparent objection. 
 
 The life of a fisherman, as is well known, is not so 
 luxurious as that of a farmer; and, as fishermen in 
 Prince Edward Island, will spend much of their time 
 among the farmers during the winter, there is danger 
 of their changing their proper pursuit, to follow the 
 cultivation of the land. That this inconvenience may 
 be easily overcome by the larger capitalist, cannot be 
 doubted. He has more command over his men, and 
 the means of speedily replacing them. I should say, 
 however, that no one ought to engage in this specula¬ 
 tion, unless his capital be large, without making such 
 arrangements at home, as to insure his being able to 
 recruit his numbers, lost by desertion, or increase 
 them as his business may enlarge. How the pro¬ 
 visions to effect this should be made, must depend in 
 a great measure upon the customs of the part of the 
 kingdom from which the fishermen are obtained. It 
 is obvious, that the system of indenture is not appli¬ 
 cable to the method of conducting the fisheries of the 
 Island ; and this method, as has been said, seems to be 
 the only one, that in the present state of the country, it 
 would be advisable to adopt. With the knowledge of 
 this assumed obstacle to his success, the capitalist 
 may be able to make better arrangements, than one 
 not practically acquainted with the details of the 
 business either at home or abroad, could suggest. 
 
 Herrings are taken in incredible quantities in so 
 short an interval, that the farmers themselves may 
 
FISHERIES. 
 
 75 
 
 engage in catching them, with advantage, especially 
 at Cascumpec, where they come ten days earlier than 
 at any other harbour, though they are not here so 
 certain or so plentiful as at Richmond or Malpec Bay. 
 They usually spawn in the harbours on the north side 
 of the Island at the time the frost is breaking up the 
 ground, and before a plough can be employed; so that, 
 no season could be more favorable for taking them. 
 At this time, all who keep boats, rush to the fishing 
 ground, which is always within the harbour; and a 
 boat with three hands, carrying thirty or forty barrels, 
 may be sometimes loaded four or five times during the 
 twenty-four hours. Two or three parties accustomed 
 to the fisheries of the North of Britain might, by 
 uniting their capital, establish themselves, and carry 
 on the herring fishery with great advantage, either at 
 Richmond Bay or Cascumpec. 
 
 The alewives or gasperaux, before mentioned as 
 frequenting the ponds of Tignish and Miminegish, 
 are, for home consumption inferior to the herrings; 
 but they are superior for the West India Market, as 
 being less expensive to cure, and, from being a leaner 
 fish, less liable to spoil on the voyage. 
 
 Although these pages are especially addressed to 
 one class of future inquirers concerning the prospects 
 which this colony offers, I would not lose the oppor¬ 
 tunity of making a few observations respecting the 
 views of x the more numerous class of working-men 
 adapted to succeed in the country. Their interests are 
 closely connected with the interests of those who are 
 
 E 2 
 
76 
 
 WORKING MEN. 
 
 most likely to read these remarks; and the present, 
 may be a favorable opportunity of communicating to 
 many uninstructed but worthy working-men, such in¬ 
 formation as may assist their endeavours to reach a 
 colony, where they would benefit more by the change, 
 than persons of any other class whatsoever, who at 
 any time emigrate. 
 
 Of their prospects it may be said, that their is no 
 probability of their encountering any thing like real 
 distress, provided they are industrious. The wages of 
 working-men in the trades and arts above mentioned, 
 are higher than in England, while almost every ne¬ 
 cessary of humble life is considerably cheaper. The 
 following is a list of a few T articles, with the ordinary 
 prices in the Charlotte Town market. Beef 2d. to 4d.; 
 Mutton 2 jd to 4 d .; Yeal 3d. to 5 d .; Pork 2 \d. to 5 d.; 
 Turkeys, 2v. 6 d .; Geese, 2*.; Ducks, 6d. to l v. 3d. 
 each ; Fowls 6c/. to 9 d .; Butter 9 d. to 1-s*.; Cheese, 6 d. 
 to I s.; Partridges, 6 d ; A Cod Fish of 121bs. 6 d .; Flour, 
 2d. to 3d. per lb.; Potatoes, 10c/. to Is. per bushel; 
 Rum, 3s. to 5s. 6d .; Tea, 4*. 6c/. to 5$. 6c/.; Sugar, 
 4 d. to 8 d. 
 
 But the demand for labor, by the nature of mechanic 
 employments and commerce, is more limited in these 
 departments of industry, than in the cultivation of the 
 ground; and a working artisan, may possibly want 
 employment for some time. It is not therefore recom¬ 
 mended to any such inquirer, to embark for the pur¬ 
 pose of following his accustomed employment, without 
 some provision for immediate necessity, or some pre- 
 
WORKING MEN. 
 
 00 0 + 
 i / 
 
 vious engagement. But should any one, having no 
 family, proceed without taking this precaution, he 
 may yet find other occupation, especially if lie should 
 know any thing of farming, or be able to use the axe 
 in felling trees, the chief requisite to effect which, is 
 muscular strength. In this case, he may maintain 
 himself until he is able to obtain employment in his 
 own proper vocation. Should any one with a family, 
 however, incautiously emigrate without an engage¬ 
 ment, he may not find arrangements of this temporary 
 kind so easy to make, at least, unless he should be at 
 some distance from the capital, where every species of 
 assistance and variety of labor connected with a new 
 farm is more in demand, and usually to be obtained, 
 with at any rate, sufficient remuneration to keep a 
 working artisan with a family, until he is able to en¬ 
 gage in his original business. 
 
 Farm servants will experience less difficulty; and 
 at whatever part of the island they may land, few in¬ 
 stances will occur, where they will not be able to ob¬ 
 tain immediate employment, whether with or without 
 family; and this, without making account of the assis¬ 
 tance or facilities sometimes afforded by the proprie¬ 
 tors of the soil, to the poorer classes, bringing written 
 characters with them, or being known to emigrants 
 already settled. All therefore, who emigrate to the 
 Island, without capital, will find their advantage in 
 landing in one of the outports in preference to Char¬ 
 lotte Town. 
 
 The wages of laborers, is from £2 10$. to £3 10$., 
 E 3 
 
78 
 
 WORKING MEN. 
 
 being provided with board and lodgings, which is 
 customary in the country parts, where wages are 
 rarely paid by the day. But in Charlotte Town, 
 where daily wages are more common, the working 
 man may generally get from 3.9. 6d . to 4.9. 6tf. a day, 
 finding his own board and lodging. 
 
 Every emigrant will meet a welcome wherever he 
 friay land; and the poor man, if he be industrious, will 
 xperience the assistance of the older settlers, in his 
 efforts to establish himself with a view to his future 
 independence. And this great end and object of all 
 labor, a provident man, with a family, especially if 
 he have two or three sons, who will be treasures 
 more valuable to him than gold, will in many cases 
 be able to effect, the summer succeeding that in which 
 he may have emigrated. He will sometimes have 
 leisure during the winter months to work at clearing 
 his own land, if it be near that of the settler with 
 whom he may be engaged; and by that means, get a 
 crop in upon his own farm, sometimes before he has 
 been fifteen months in the country. 
 
 The capitalist, and any other who should happen to 
 peruse these pages, may safely answer the interroga¬ 
 tions of persons of the poorer classes, by acquainting 
 them with the remarks herein contained: and they 
 ought to afford them, all such other full information 
 as they themselves may be able to acquire. Moreover, 
 it should be the business of the more intelligent emi¬ 
 grants, to protect the credulous among the uninstructed 
 classes, from the interested attempts made to induce 
 
WORKING MEN. 
 
 79 
 
 them to choose one of the foreign republican states to 
 settle in, in preference to the British Provinces, which 
 offer much surer rewards for industry and good conduct. 
 There is generally a superabundance of laborers in the 
 larger towns of the United States; and in the western 
 settlements, where only, a poor man can obtain such 
 land as he may get in every district in the provinces, 
 the people are too coarse in their manners, and too 
 subtle and sharp, to assimulate with, or give a fair 
 chance of success to, settlers from among the plain 
 honest peasantry of this country.* 
 
 ♦ English laborers are apt to be deceived in their esti¬ 
 mate of wages given in the United States, by the difference 
 of the British and United States money. The method of 
 reckoning in the United States, is by dollars and cents. The 
 cent is a copper coin of nearly the same value as an English 
 half-penny, and there is a silver coin of the value of 12£ 
 cents or | of a dollar, which in some parts is called a shilling. 
 Thus, if you hear of 8s. a day wages in the United States, 
 you are not to suppose you will get 8 twelve-pences, but 
 8 pieces of the value of about which is about the average 
 wages of the colonies. And this is all you will get in a 
 country heavily taxed, and where most articles are, of course, 
 much dearer than in the British colonies. If you choose in¬ 
 deed to engage in canal making, through unhealthy swamps, 
 where the banks of the canals, as far as they go, are strewed 
 with the graves of the Irish, you may get higher wages. But 
 should you be among the few who survive the hardships 
 those who engage in this labor for want of the means or 
 capacity of discovering the difference between a slave and a 
 free man, you will be fortunate. If temporary gain entices 
 you to the United States, you will be a mere slave: if full 
 inquiry induces you, as it most probably will, to emigrate to 
 a British province, you will be free and respected, and may 
 soon be independent. 
 
80 
 
 DOMESTIC SERVANTS. 
 
 The greater part of the laborers who go to the 
 United States, remain in their former condition of 
 life, foi many years, or for the remainder of their days. 
 Whereas, in Prince Edward Island, it is a rare thing 
 to find a man dependent upon daily wages for his sup¬ 
 port, after the third or fourth year of his sojourn in 
 the country. This must not, however, be supposed 
 to apply to domestic servants, either men or women; 
 but persons of this class, are not recommended to emi¬ 
 grate without a previous engagement. Women servants 
 are more in demand than men servants. Young women 
 should go out under unexceptionable protection; and 
 every mistress who takes a girl of a marriageable age, 
 should take another a little younger to supply her 
 place within a twelve month, if necessary; which will 
 be much less barbarous than binding a young woman 
 to unnatural and unnecessary celibacy. " Vow’s to every 
 purpose must not hold, ,, and wicked resolutions and 
 thoughtless promises made in England are “ polluted 
 offerings,” and will hardly be regarded in the colonies. 
 
 I cannot omit the mention of another strong reason 
 or two against emigration to the United States. It 
 may assist the intelligent reader, in affording his best 
 advice to uninstructed persons contemplating emigra¬ 
 tion. The first I shall mention, is partly a matter of 
 feeling, and partly a matter which turns upon the 
 choice of honor or dishonor ; the second is altogether 
 a matter of interest. 
 
 And first, I w T ould impress upon the attention of 
 every British subject, the inconveniences he may ex- 
 
UNITED STATES, 
 
 81 
 
 perience from alienating himself from the country of 
 his birth ; and this he must do, before he can become 
 a citizen of the United States. He must foreswear his 
 country, and make oath, that he will take up arms 
 against Great Britain in case of war. After which, he 
 must be content to wait seven years before he will be 
 entrusted with a vote ; and before that time, the proba¬ 
 bility is, that he will be tired of the States, and, like the 
 majority of his countrymen withdrawn from the pro¬ 
 tection of their national flag, be quietly settled in one of 
 the provinces, and, happily, once more under the pro¬ 
 tection of the laws he has been accustomed to venerate 
 from principle as well as from grateful associations; 
 and where he will, as soon as he shall become a forty 
 shilling freeholder or leaseholder, have the right of 
 voting for a representative in the colonial parliament. 
 
 But if there be any who look upon nationality as 
 nothing, an argument of another kind, may touch 
 them more nearly. The people of the United States, 
 are taxed nearly twenty times higher than the British 
 colonists. They pay to the general government, duties 
 upon importations, of, from 25 to 50 per cent; and 
 wherever you settle you will have the direct taxes of 
 the particular state government to pay also. Whereas, 
 in the British Provinces, generally, there is only an 
 ad valorem duty upon importations, of 2j per cent 
 without any direct taxes whatsoever. This is an ex¬ 
 press and unambiguous argument, which ought of 
 itself, in every case, to deter the unwary from entertain¬ 
 ing the intention of settling in the United States. 
 
 E 4 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 EMIGRATION—HINTS ON ARRANGEMENT FOR EMBARKATION 
 AND CAUTIONS. 
 
 As this is not an essay on emigration, but rather a 
 guide to such persons as are supposed to be best 
 adapted to the condition of Prince Edward Island, as 
 well on account of their own interests as of the general 
 interests of the colony, it would be to travel out of the 
 bounds which the design comprehends, and it would 
 occupy more pages than the prescribed limits allow, 
 to enter into arguments, for or against emigration. 
 Should any reader, however, receive his first impres¬ 
 sions of the subject from these pages, I am disposed 
 to recommend him to go back to the elementary 
 treatise referred to in the preface; and let him not 
 forget, that both interest and feeling should be con¬ 
 sulted before he determines to emigrate; but having 
 so determined, should his views and his means of 
 carrying them into effect, be such as are here supposed 
 to peculiarly adapt him to settle in Prince Edward 
 
ARRANGEMENTS TO EMBARK. 
 
 83 
 
 Island, the above account of that colony, will I trust 
 be found to contain sufficient information to leave a 
 just impression of the more important matters which 
 concern his future interests : I shall therefore con¬ 
 clude, by a few observations concerning the disposal 
 of his moveable as well as personal property, and his 
 arrangements for embarkation. 
 
 You are not likely to land very far from the spot on 
 which you will utimately settle, as would be the case, 
 were you going to Canada or the United States. You 
 are therefore recommended, provided you are within a 
 moderate distance from the port at which you intend 
 to embark, to carry with you all such of your move¬ 
 ables as are not very cumbersome and of little value; 
 and above all, the implements of your profession. 
 
 And while you are packing your furniture, you may 
 with much advantage, put up with them, any rare 
 seeds, especially of the grass and clover kind, that you 
 should find it convenient to procure. Small quantities 
 of various kinds of garden seeds it is also desirable to 
 take. Such of any kind, as you may not use, you may 
 easily exchange for something that will be of more 
 use to you. 
 
 The tools and implements most necessary to the 
 agriculturist settler during the earlier part of his 
 labours, are the following. One or two spades, 
 shovels, hoes, and sithes and sickles made strong 
 in the back, the fron w r ork of a plough and harrow, 
 and if his means will allow it, a chaff-cutter and 
 a wdnnowdng machine, and some cart and some 
 
84 
 
 YOUR MONEY. 
 
 plough harness. To these he may add a gig har¬ 
 ness, if he should have one by him, as he will pro¬ 
 bably keep a cariole or sleigh, for which, with a 
 little alteration, it will suit very w^ell. But he must 
 not forget, that the island horses are smaller than those 
 of the middle size in England. Take also two hammers, 
 two planes, six gouges, six socket-chisels, six augers 
 of different sizes not exceeding one and half inch, two 
 dozen grinlets of different sizes, a cross-cut saw, two 
 or three pair of door hinges and door latches. 
 
 Every emigrant will do well to carry at least two 
 years supply of both light and warm clothing, and 
 also warm bedding. All which is not intended to be 
 used on the voyage, should be carefully packed in 
 wooden chests or trunks, none of which should weigh 
 more than a hundred and twelve pounds, and it would 
 be better that none exceeded half that weight. 
 
 Before you embark, you should deposit your money 
 at the principal bank within your reach, and take an 
 acknowledgment, w r ith a letter of credit to draw as 
 you may require it; and for your bills on England 
 you will get from 35 to 40 per cent premium. The 
 currency of the country is at 10 per cent less value 
 than sterling. Thus for a hundred pound bill on Eng¬ 
 land, you will receive a hundred and eleven pounds 
 two shillings and two pence half penny, which, with 
 the premium will make upward of one hundred and 
 fifty pounds currency. You need not carry above a 
 few pounds more money with you than is sufficient to 
 pay, your expenses to and at the port of embarkation, 
 
EXPENCES. 85 
 
 and for your passage, of the cost of which, the follow¬ 
 ing is an estimate. 
 
 IN THE CABIN 
 
 For a grown person finding himself in 
 provisions, which no one should do . .£10 
 
 Children.ditto.from. 2 to 5 
 
 For a grown person being found in pro¬ 
 visions by the captain. 15 to 20 
 
 Children. ditto . 5 to 12 
 
 IN THE STEERAGE. 
 
 Where passengers generally do, and always ought, 
 to find their own provisions. 
 
 For a grown person.£2 to 3 
 
 Children. 1 to 2 
 
 The proper season to begin your inquiries concern¬ 
 ing embarkation, is about the month of February or 
 March. This will afford you time to make your ar¬ 
 rangements to suit convenience, or remove any obstacles 
 arising from the distance you may have to travel. 
 Having made such dispositions concerning your pro¬ 
 perty as above advised, and obtained the date of the 
 ship’s positive departure, be sure to be punctual; and 
 on your arrival, present yourself to the captain, who 
 will accommodate you according to which of the above 
 arrangements you may be prepared to make. 
 
 You are now supposed to be on ship-board, I shall, 
 therefore, give one or two hints respecting your ma¬ 
 nagement upon the voyage, both with regard to your 
 sea-stock, and to your comfort in some other respects. 
 
8G 
 
 PROVISIONS. 
 
 You should calculate upon being at least six weeks 
 at sea, although the average passage is less than five ; 
 and remember, that, the ship, as is the term, finds you 
 in nothing, except water, which will every day be 
 served out to you in the proportion of five gallons a 
 week. This you must make serve for drinking, cook¬ 
 ing, and washing. You can, however, use salt water 
 to boil either salt beef, fish, or potatoes ; and you may 
 use it for washing, in all cases where soap is not 
 necessary. 
 
 But with respect to your provisions, you must regu¬ 
 late the quantity, in proportion to the number you 
 happen to be in family, remembering, that children 
 are great eaters, especially at sea, and are often very 
 wasteful. Let the substantial and chief articles of 
 your stock be, salt beef or pork, salt fish, biscuit, and 
 potatoes; and you should take also, some flour or oat¬ 
 meal, some suet corned, a little rice, sago, and arrow- 
 root, for puddings, tea, or coffee if you prefer it, and 
 can drink it better without milk, sugar, butter, cheese, 
 eggs packed in salt or lime, and a few delicacies to be 
 at hand in case of illness, such as jam, jelly, prunes, 
 spices, and wine or brandy. 
 
 With respect to your cooking, time for meals, your 
 berths, and other arrangements respecting family com¬ 
 fort, they will depend so much upon the order kept in 
 the ship, that all that need be said is, that you should 
 keep as many culinary and table utensils open for use, 
 and as much of necessary bedding, as will render you 
 quite independent of the ship or your fellow passengers. 
 
CAUTION. 87 
 
 Cooking is most easily managed, by two or three 
 families uniting for their general accommodation. 
 
 And now with respect to the disposal of your time. 
 In speaking of providing necessaries, a longer period 
 has been mentioned than it is needful to reckon upon 
 in reference to pastimes; I shall therefore advise you 
 to calculate upon being about three weeks in want of 
 some amusement, without which, the voyage will be 
 extremely tedious. The average passage is about a 
 month, the first week of which, you will probably be 
 sea sick, and too umvell to enjoy any thing but your 
 bed, which, the less you keep, however, the better. 
 After this, you will enjoy plenty of health, good spirits, 
 and leisure ; and a portion of your spare time, you are 
 recommended to employ in entertaining reading; and 
 perhaps you will find no books so w r ell adapted for this 
 purpose, as the Spectator, some of the monthly peri¬ 
 odicals, and any of the Waverly novels. The Bible, 
 it can hardly be supposed you will be without; or, 
 that you will be disposed to keep the sabbath less holy 
 at sea than on shore. 
 
 There is yet a caution that it may be useful to give 
 you. It may concern, not only your comfort at the 
 outset, but perhaps during the whole passage : and 
 should you think it unnecessary, you may be reminded, 
 that it proceeds from observation. It is this : never 
 dispute any internal arrangements made by the cap¬ 
 tain for the general accommodation of the passengers ; 
 nor interfere in any way with the duty or concerns of 
 any officer or seaman on board. And do not attempt 
 
88 
 
 ARRIVAL. 
 
 to engage any of the officers or seamen in conversation, 
 however curious you may be concerning what is now 
 passing before your eyes, and is novel to your experi¬ 
 ence ; nor say one word more to any one employed in 
 the duties of the ship, than is positively upon business, 
 until you are at least clear of the land. The want of 
 attention to a little propriety on these points has often 
 led to disagreement and discomfort throughout the 
 passage. But when you have left the land, and the 
 wind is fair, and the vessel is dashing through the 
 water with the top-gallant-sails and royals flying aloft, 
 you will find all hands in good humour, and you will 
 then have an opportunity of inquiring into the mys¬ 
 teries of the unfathomed deep, and of suggesting such 
 alterations in the regulations below, as circumstances 
 may have rendered necessary, and all agree to re¬ 
 commend. 
 
 You may now be supposed to have arrived. You 
 are at length then in a country, where, being blessed 
 with health, your success and future happiness, will de¬ 
 pend, not partially, but wholly, upon your own industry 
 and conduct; and where, your station in society will be 
 determined, not so much by the amount of capital you 
 carried with you, as by your character and consequent 
 success. You are, moreover, in a country, where want is 
 almost unknown, and among a people, not inferior to any 
 of us at home, in true British feeling, loyalty, and attach¬ 
 ment to the lawful sovereign of this great empire. 
 And, the mere external difference in your daily ex¬ 
 perience—that the forest is around you, and the axe 
 
CHANGE OF CONDITION. 
 
 89 
 
 as much in requisition as the plough—will, as soon as 
 the change in your manner of life becomes familiar to 
 you, weigh nothing, in comparison with the solid ad¬ 
 vantages you have acquired, in the more profitable 
 employment of your capital, and the enlargement of 
 every rational enjoyment. 
 
 You perhaps left a farm, for which you paid a high 
 rent and heavy taxes, and in the working of which, you 
 enjoyed no advantage that you have lost, except that 
 of the rate of wages, which you will find higher where 
 you now are. But, you must remember, that you now 
 pay your men no more than the value of what you re¬ 
 ceive in return. Thus, the want of charges upon the 
 land, has enabled you to pay your men better, 
 and allowed them to look forward to their own inde¬ 
 pendence ; and the increase of the single item of wages 
 in the fanner’s expenditure, bears no comparison 
 with the advantages you experience in the absence or 
 diminution of rent; to say nothing of taxes , poor’s-rates, 
 and tythes , of which there are none in Prince Edward 
 Island . 
 
 Until now, you never, perhaps, had the advantage 
 of a freehold possession. If you were not a tenant at 
 will, you were, perhaps, but a lessee, in which cha¬ 
 racter you could know nothing of the enjoyment of a 
 real estate, to w T hich every stroke of the axe, and every 
 stump taken up, adds a value that it can never lose. 
 And all this you have acquired for a few temporary 
 privations, which, summed together, bear no com¬ 
 parison to a year of anxiety, such as the agriculturist 
 
90 
 
 ADVICE. 
 
 lessee of small capital is constantly called upon to en¬ 
 dure at home. 
 
 One word more of advice respecting your future 
 comfort will suffice. Carry with you such books as 
 may store your mind with all the solid information in 
 your power to acquire ; and do not omit to take a good 
 history of England, and such books on natural history 
 and agriculture, as upon inquiry, you may find the 
 most highly recommended. Be solicitous about the 
 education, not only of your own children, but also, of 
 those of your fellow-settlers. Encourage the poorer 
 classes of emigrants that yearly plant themselves 
 around you. Show them the progress of your im¬ 
 provements, and exhort them to be industrious, and to 
 abstain from habits of intemperance; for they, what¬ 
 ever may be their present condition, are destined, like 
 yourself, to occupy a superior station in society, to that 
 which they filled when at home. And thus I bid you. 
 farewell; with the sincere and earnest hope, that you 
 may enjoy all the prosperity and happiness Prince 
 Edward Island promises, and your resolution and per¬ 
 severance may merit. 
 
 THE END. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 List of Several of the Proprietors of Land in Prince 
 Edward Island. 
 
 Earl of Selkirk, St. Mary’s Isle, Kirkcudbright—Earl of 
 Westmorland, London—Marquis of Queensberry, same — 
 Viscount Melville, Melville Castle, Edinburghshire—Lord 
 James Townsend—Sir George Seymour, Hampton Court— 
 Sir James Montgomery and Brothers, Stobo Castle Peeble- 
 shire—Sir Edward Walsh, Ireland—Sir T. S. Sorell—Lady 
 Wood, Prince Edward Island — The Honorable Samuel 
 Cunard, Halifax, Nova Scotia — The Honorable Joseph 
 Cunard, Miramichi—Lawrence Sulivan, Esq., War Office, 
 London—Andrew Colvile, Esq., Fenchurch Buildings, Lon¬ 
 don—The heirs of the late Alderman Winchester, London 
 —C. Worrell, Esq., Prince Edward Island—David Stewart, 
 Esq., Great Russell Street, London—Robert Stewart, Esq., 
 same—R. B. Stewart, Esq., same—John Hill, Esq., Exmouth, 
 Devon—Edward Banks, Esq., Gateshead—T. H. Brooking, 
 Esq., Broad Street, London — George Young, Esq., Halifax, 
 Nova Scotia — Thomas Todd, Esq., London—J. C. Compton, 
 Esq., Prince Edward Island—A. Thornton Todd, Esq.— 
 
11 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 William Cundall, Esq. Prince Edward Island—David 
 Rennie & Brothers, Edinburgh—J. Hodges Winslow, Esq., 
 Trellick, near Monmouth—Messrs. Thompson, Belfast, Ire¬ 
 land—Col. J. F. Holland, Prince Edward Island—Geo. 
 Irving, Esq., same—Donald, McDonald, Esq., same—Rev. 
 John McDonald, same—Roderick McDonald, Esq., 30 th 
 Regiment—H. W. Hemsworth, Esq., Shropham Hall—Rev. 
 T. H. Langdon, Clarence Crescent, Windsor. 
 
 The ships of the Honorable Samuel Cunard of Halifax, 
 and the Honorable Joseph Cunard of Miramichi, proprietors 
 of land, above mentioned, sail to, or land passengers at, 
 Prince Edward Island. 
 
 The following is a list of the agents of these gentlemen at 
 some of the ports of the United Kingdom. 
 
 London, Duncan Brothers, Token-house Yard. 
 
 Liverpool, Anderson Garrow & Co. 
 
 Glasgow, W. H. Dobie. 
 
 Leith, John Dryden & Co. 
 
 Annan, J. Richardson. 
 
 Dundee, James Keiller, Junr. 
 
 Hull, Holderness and Chelton. 
 
 - N. Monday. 
 
 Newcastle, Stephen Lowry. 
 
 Sunderland, William Briggs. 
 
 Bristol, W. Cross & Son. 
 
 Plymouth, Hawker & Co. 
 
 Dublin, William Carson. 
 
 Limerick, James Harvey & Co. 
 
 Cove of Cork, James Scott & Co. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Ill 
 
 Waterford, Danl. Carregan. 
 
 Belfast, Thos. G. Folingsby. 
 
 Wexford, Frauds Harper. 
 
 Cockermouth, W. & G. Cape. 
 
 Dundalk, Pat. Jennings. 
 
 Satlevats, J. & H. Richie. 
 
 Carlisle, Thos. Walker, & Co. 
 
 South Shields, Bell & Marshal. 
 Whitehaven, Wm. Jackson. 
 
 Irvene, John Wright & Co. 
 Grangemouth, Danl. Robertson. 
 
 Perth, James Mount. 
 
 Tralee, John Donovan. 
 
 Drogheda, Boylon. 
 
 Menai Bridge, R. Davis & Co. 
 
 Holyhead, William Owen. 
 
 Lancaster, William Davis. 
 
 Ayr, Cowan & Sloans. 
 
 Chester, Thomas Dixon & Co. 
 
 Falmouth, Wm. Broad and Co. 
 Gloucester, Price, Washbourne & Price. 
 Aberdeen, Geo. Thompson, Junr. 
 Garstang, W. & M Lewtas. 
 
 Cardiff, W. Watson & Co. 
 
 Amlwch, Trewick Brothers. 
 
 New Ross, John Gallovan & Co. 
 
 Neath, Grainger & Evans. 
 
 Greenock, Alan Ker & Co. 
 
 Bridport, Kennway & Co. 
 
 Xewry, L. Ledlie & Co. 
 Stockton-on-Tees, G. W. Todd. 
 
E. Varty, Printer, 27, Camomile Street, Bishopsgate.