An Account of Prince Edward Island in 1806 By John StewartSituation and Divisions
Map of PEI in 1806. Click on map for larger version (270k)
PRINCE Edward Island is situated in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, North America: Charlotte Town, the capital of the Island, is in latitude 46deg. 12 north, and longitude 63 degrees west of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. All the south side of the Island is in sight of the continent; the distance between Cape Traverse on the Island, and Cape Tourmentin in New Brunswick, is only ten miles, and between Carribou Point in Nova Scotia and the opposite part of the Island, about twelve miles. From the east point, a very considerable part of the west coast of Cape Breton is seen at from ten to twelve leagues distance.
The North Cape of the Island, is one hundred miles due south of Cape Rosier, at the entrance of the river St. Lawrence. The sea between the Continent and the Island, is known by the name of Northumberland Straits; the length of the Island, measured along shore from the east point to the North Cape, is about one hundred and forty miles; the greatest breadth being the division line between King's and Queen's Counties is little more than thirty-six miles; towards both extremities the island decreases much in its breadth.
Prince Edward Island is divided into three counties, and sub-divided into parishes and townships, which last are distinguished by their numbers. The divisions stand as follows:
King's County has St. George's St. Andrew's, St. Patrick's, and East parishes, sub-divided into twenty one townships, besides the proposed town and Royalty of George Town and several Islands.
Queen's County is divided into five parishes named Charlotte, Grenville, Hillsburgh, St. John's, and Bedford parishes, sub-divided into twenty-three townships, and the town and Royalty of Charlotte Town, which is the capital of the Island, and three Islands, two in Hillsburgh Bay, and one between Harris and Harrington Bays.
Prince County is divided into North, Egmont, Richmond, Halifax, and St. David's parishes, and sub-divided into twenty-three townships, and the proposed town and Royalty of Prince Town, this county has also several islands in its bays. The townships, of which there are sixty-seven in all, generally contain twenty thousand acres each, some contain one or two thousand acres more, and lot 66 contains only ten thousand acres; the total contents of the Island stand as follows:
King's County - - - - - - - 4,16000 acres
Queen's County - - - - - - - 4,94000
Prince County - - - - - - - 4,71000
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Total- - - - - - -1,381000
Besides the Islands scattered in the different Bays, which probably contain about ten thousand acres among them.
This Island is much intersected by water as may be seen by looking at the map, the principal bays on the south side are Egmont, Halifax, Hillsburgh and Cardigan Bays, all of great extent; on the same side we have also Hillsburgh, York, Elliot, Cardigan, Montague, and Brudnel rivers, all of which will admit ships of the line, where they will be completely land-locked and sheltered from all winds, Dunk, Vernon, and Murray rivers also on the south side, will accommodate vessels of three hundred tons with safe and convenient harbours; beside which the whole extent of the coast from West Cape to the East Point, presents a succession of smaller bays, coves and creeks, many of them forming safe and convenient harbours for trading vessels. On the north side of the Island we have Holland, Richmond, Grenville, Harris, Bedford, and St. Peter's bays, all barred harbours, and not fit for large vessels, except the first, which is safe and convenient, its bar being much protected by the land stretching to the northward towards Cape Kildare, and having a sufficient depth of water for ships of five hundred tons burthen on its bar: Richmond, Harris and Grenville Bays have occasionally been frequented by Ships of from two to three hundred tons, and in a Country where good Harbours were not so common, would certainly not be thought bad ones; many Harbours in Europe, the receptacles of an extensive commerce, are much inferior in every respect.
These Harbours are seperated from the Gulph by high sand Hills, narrow cuts through which form the entrances into them; they have all much the same appearance, and resemble greatly the entrance of Shields or Newcastle River in the North of England, they are all of them extensive, branching out into fine arms and creeks, with from two to five fathoms water, and after carrying that depth for a considerable way, some of them approach so near the heads of rivers and harbours on the south side of the Island, that it is believed there is not a point on the Island which is not within eight miles of navigable water. Harrington Bay and Savage Harbour on the north side also, though bad harbours, are extensive sheets of water, and admit small schooners and shallops; they afford many fine situations round them, and enable the people settled on their banks to enjoy the benefit of fishing in the gulph. Bedford and St. Peter's Bays will admit vessels of an hundred tons, but the channel of the latter has been subject to alteration for some years past, and it is said not to have so much water on its bar as formerly.
The principal Capes and Head-lands, on the north side are North Cape, Cape Kildare, Cape Alesbury , Cape Tryon, Cape Turner, Shipwreck Point, East Point; on the south side are West Cape, Cape Egmont, Cape Traverse, Point Prim, the Wood Islands Bear Cape and Boughton Island; the navigation round the Island is in general very safe; vessels in Northumberland Straits should keep a good lookout for the Indian Rocks, which lay about three miles south west from the Wood Islands on the Coast of Township No. 62, they are of considerable extent and dry at low water: Vessels drawing above nine feet of .water should not approach the coast between the Wood Islands and Point Prim nearer than a mile and a half. From Cape Traverse to St. Peter's Island there is a shoal which is not accurately laid down in any chart yet published; large vessels should not approach that part of the coast nearer than two miles.
The North Coast of the Island forms a deep bay, in which it is dangerous to be caught near the center of the coast, with a north east wind; if it blows hard, vessels will not be able to clear the land either way, and if the gale continue must be driven on shore; ships in this situation, when they find they cannot clear the land nor keep off the shore, should attempt one of the large barred harbours, though the sea breaks on the bars, and they would most probably strike, yet the third or fourth sea will generally carry them over, when they will immediately be in smooth water in which the ship may be run ashore, if she has suffered so much as not to be able to lay at her anchors. The people in vessels, in danger of shipwreck here, should never quit their vessels, as the north east wind by which alone their danger is occasioned, rises the water so much on this part of the coast, that vessels will drive so close to the land as to enable their people to get ashore with very little risk; by far the greater part of the coast is a sandy beach and where the coast rises into cliffs there is but one or two places of small extent, where they will meet with any difficulty in getting on shore: vessels of one hundred tons will generally drive so far up that when the gale takes off they will be left entirely dry.
Of the three towns which have been named, Charlotte Town only has yet assumed the appearance of a town, it is regularly laid out on the banks of the Hillsburgh River; by looking at the map it will be seen that the situation is both centrical and convenient, having a safe internal water communication with a very considerable part of the Island, by means of the Hillsburgh, York, and Elliot Rivers, which meet in its harbour. The ground is well adapted for the scite of a town, rising gradually to a moderate height above the water, and is generally sound dry land, the ascent from the river is very easy, the streets are laid out at right angles, those running from the river are one hundred feet in breadth, the cross streets were originally laid out at eighty feet, but have since been reduced to forty feet in breadth. The building lots are eighty-four feet in front, by one hundred and sixty in depth, and many of the inhabitants. having several contiguous lots, are thereby enabled to have large gardens, by which means the place already occupies a considerable surface. though it does not contain more than seventy houses; and though many of them are very indifferent, yet the town viewed from the harbour or the opposite shores has a very pleasing appearance. The only public building yet erected in it is a church. There is a common of one hundred acres adjoining the town, and with every building lot there is granted a pasture lot of twelve acres in the Royalty, a tract of seven thousand acres so called, which surrounds the town and common, and has an extensive front both on Hillsburgh and York Rivers. Many of these pasture lots have been purchased from the Grantees by a few individuals on speculation, and some progress has been made in improving these accumulations, there being several small farms within the Royalty. The Hillsburgh River opposite to the town is rather an arm of the sea than a river there, the depth of water in its channel opposite to the town is eight fathoms, and the largest ships may lay within less than a quarter of a mile of the town; vessels of two hundred tons go up the Hillsburgh River fourteen miles above the town, which itself is three miles from the harbours mouth; the entrance is narrow and is susceptible of being strongly fortified: after passing the narrows the harbour opens into an extensive bason, which receives the Elliot, York, and Hillsburgh Rivers, each of which have a sufficient depth of water for the largest ships for several miles, where they will be completely sheltered from all winds. The tides are so strong as to enable ships to work out and in against a contrary wind: at full and change they rise about nine feet, neap tides rise between four and five feet, the bottom is either soft mud or strong clay. The greatest inconvenience of the harbour is, that, the flats run out a considerable distance from the shore. Wharfs to receive ships where they would always lay afloat must be run out to the channel, which is near six hundred feet opposite to the town; there is no danger however in allowing ships to ground upon the flats as they are all deep mud, and the shores are either sand or soft flat stones on which light vessels or small craft can be laid with perfect safety. The town is protected on the side of the harbour by two batteries, that at the west end of the town is mounted with eleven heavy guns, so disposed as to command every part of the harbour, the other is placed on the bank of the river in front of the town and mounts four guns, which also point to the harbour and the opposite side of the river, the entrance of the harbour is defended by a blockhouse mounting four guns, in front of which is a stone battery mounting five guns, with a ditch and fraizing, the whole well stockaded, where these works stand the Narrows are scarcely half a musket shot across: there is also a battery on the eastern side of the narrows not at present in repair: from the block-house all vessels approaching the harbour are seen at three leagues distance, a circumstance of much consequence to the safety of the place which has immediate notice by signal from the block-house of every vessel that appears either by day or night. The whole of the works in their present state are intended against shipping; should it ever be adviseable to fortify the place the situation is such as to admit of its being done very effectually. The barracks are situated at the west end of the town, and consist of two separate ranges of buildings, each 260 feet in length, which front each other, being divided by a spacious parade; they are calculated to accommodate upwards of three hundred men with their officers, a handsome colonade runs along the front of each range, the whole are painted white, and though flat roofed have a respectable appearance, and in point of accommodation are not surpassed by any barracks in North America; within the same inclosure are an Hospital, a store for provisions, and another for the ordnance, and a wharf in front of the town 248 feet in length is also a military erection. There is a reservation of a tract of land called the Fort Lot on the west side of the harbour, extending from the entrance of the Narrows almost to the mouth of Elliot River, on this tract Fort Amherst formerly stood on an elevated spot three hundred yards from the water, it was erected immediately after the conquest of the Island, was a large square redoubt with a broad deep ditch, mounted eighteen pieces of cannon, and contained handsome barracks; soon after its erection it was twice attacked by the French and their Indian allies, but they failed in both attempts. The situation is commanded by higher ground at a small distance, on this account the Fort was dismantled and destroyed by Governor Patterson soon after his appointment to the government, and there being near three hundred acres of fertile clear land within the reservation, extremely beautiful in point of situation, the Governor was tempted to make a grant * of the whole to a person who re-conveyed it to himself, and on this place he built a handsome farm-house and extensive offices, and laid out large sums in its improvement.
* In 1796 proceedings were instituted against this grant by direction of His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent then commanding His Majesty's forces in the Nova Scotia district, and the same was soon after vacated and the place was for some time considered as military ground, but in 1800 His Grace the Duke of Portland, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, was pleased to direct Lieutenant-General Fanning, Lieutenant-Governor of the Island to grant a lease thereof to the late Monsieur Calonne the French Minister, who then proposed to settle on the Island with a number of French Royalists, reserving to the Crown such a rent as the Governor might think reasonable, which was fixed at 25l. per annum. The buildings and improvements made by Governor Patterson had previously been suffered to go into decay, having fallen into the hands of some of his creditors, who not being sanguine as to the solidity of their title did not think fit to be at any expence about them. It is a fine tract of land and the situation and aspect extremely pleasing.
The amusements which Charlotte Town can yet afford are only such as may be expected in a young country thinly inhabited: in Spring, Summer, and Autumn, shooting, fishing, riding, and sailing; water parties are frequently made, when each family taking their dish en pic nic a marquee is pitched at some of the many charming spots on the banks of the adjoining rivers, and many happy hours are thus pleasantly spent. In winter there is some shooting, but it is often attended with more fatigue than most people would think it worth, as it is generally necessary to use snow-shoes whenever we go off the roads in the forest. Driving carioles is a favourite amusement at this season, they go with great rapidity when the roads are well beaten: but the rivers in fine weather when the snow is not too deep on the ice afford the best field for this diversion. There is an assembly once a fortnight in winter, which commences with the Queen's birth day, and the party is numerous enough to be very happy. Private theatricals were attempted for two winters, but some of the party being only temporary residents, that amusement has been given up for the present.
George Town, situated in King's County on a Peninsula between two navigable rivers or arms of the sea, is yet as a Town but in embrio, there being but a few lots granted, and only three or four built upon; the situation is very fine, and the Harbour one of the best in North America; like the Harbour of Charlotte Town it has three large branches, with depth of water for the largest ships, besides two fine basons completely land-locked; in front of the whole there is a capacious roadsted open only to the south east, a wind which seldom blows hard on this coast: An island on each side of the bay makes it very remarkable, and the access is perfectly safe, being quite free from rocks or shoals; in many parts of the harbour the water is deep close to the land, there are several situations in the different branches where large ships can lay within their own length of high water mark, on the south west front of the town in particular, large ships may lay close to the shore perfectly protected from wind and sea, and the situation large enough to accommodate an extensive commerce. It is generally believed in the island that if the capital had been fixed here, it would have been before this time a large town, as the situation possesses many advantages over Charlotte Town, it being much nearer the ocean and of much easier access, as any wind that will bring ships through the Gut of Canso, will carry them into this harbour with ease, whereas the westerly winds which prevail so much on this coast, render their getting to Charlotte Town more tedious, particularly in the Autumn : its lying very little out of the tract from Canada to Nova Scotia and the United States, and its contiguity to the fishing grounds would probably have made it much frequented by shipping, if it had been settled, and could afford them such necessary assistance as ships usually want coming from sea, as matters are, they will find fresh provisions, vegetables, wood, and .water, with a safe harbour, that is of such easy access, that they may enter it by their charts, without the aid of a pilot.
The lands round all the branches of this extensive harbour are remarkably well timbered, and as yet in a great degree untouched, which with its other advantages, render it a most eligible situation for ship building and the timber trade. Building lots in George Town contain about half an acre each, with which is granted a pasture lot of ten acres in the Royalty annexed to the town, and any person proposing to settle there, on application to the Governor in Council, will readily obtain a grant of a town and pasture lot, the fees on which will amount to about forty shillings. Besides the Town and Royalty of George Town, seven townships of twenty thousand acres each, abutt upon the waters of this harbour; the oldest and most forward settlement, is situated on Township, No. 59, two thirds of which is the property of Sir James Montgomery, his Majesty's Lord Advocate for Scotland, whose father, the late venerable Lord Chief Baron of Scotland, was one of the few proprietors to whose exertions at-the beginning of the settlement, the colony is under any obligations. In 1803 the Earl of Selkirk settled a considerable number of people on Township, No. 53 one third of which is his lordship's property, and settlements are now making on the other two-thirds of that township, by the Earl of Westmoreland, and the Honourable Robert Dundas Saunders, to whom these portions belong. There are also a considerable number of people settled on Townships, Nos. 54, 55, and 61, those in the two last mentioned, are settled without the intervention of their respective proprietors, by whom they have been entirely neglected hitherto: Townships, Nos. 51 and 61 are totally uninhabited: the quantity of land settled is indeed but small, in comparison of the extent of country round the different branches of the harbour, the vacant front on which would accommodate five hundred families more, each of which would bound on navigable water.
Prince Town, situated on the north side of the Island on a branch of Richmond Bay, is yet like George Town little more than a name, though there are perhaps as many people within the Town and Royalty as at Charlotte Town; but thinking that agriculture should precede town building, they have neglected the town lots, and by accumulating a number of contiguous pasture lots each, have formed a number of small farms, which are in a considerably forward state of improvement.
Richmond Bay, though a barred harbour, is the largest on the north side of the Island, and has from twelve to fourteen feet water on its bar: It has two principal entrances besides smaller ones; it is very extensive and some parts of it are much exposed in bad weather; there are however several arms of it that are well sheltered and perfectly secure in ail weather; that on which Prince Town is situated is a safe harbour for trading vessels. Before the American War, Richmond Bay was the principal station used by the New England people for carrying on the cod fishery in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, it contains six islands, three of which, have above five hundred acres each.
There are seven townships, containing among them one hundred and forty thousand acres, abutting upon Richmond Bay, it has also a safe inland water communication with Holland Bay, by Cavendish Channel, affording great convenience in the transport of produce from one harbour to the other; two roads, neither of them muck above two miles in length, connect it with the lands lying on Halifax Bay and Dunk River, situated on the south side of the Island. There are very considerable settlements on Richmond Bay, which are increasing very fast in population, the land being in general very good, and abounding with fine timber.
We offer a number of workshops and guided tours at the Macphail Woods and it is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the natural history of Prince Edward Island. Check out the Events Calendar for more information. Web development and maintenance by Chris Martin.
