This Island is in general level, having but few hills, and none of them very high or steep, probably the highest spot on the Island does not rise above five hundred feet above the level of the sea, and the soil on the hills is in general the best on the Island, being moister, and less apt to be sandy than the low grounds, the timber on them is in general hard wood, and the trees are larger, and stand at a greater distance, than on the low grounds, a sure indication of their superior soil: the highest land on the Island is on the road between Charlotte Town and Prince Town, stretching from the head of Harris Bay to the head of Grenville Bay, and is intersected by several streams which run into these bays: There is also a considerable hill towards the source of Elliott River, on the road from Charlotte Town to Tryon Settlement and Bedeque: there is likewise some high ground about the head of Hillsburgh River, particularly on the south side, and along both sides of Hill River, but none of these hills are either so high, or so abrupt, as to prevent their being cultivated with ease. Though some parts of the coast have a low flat look, the greatest part of the face of the country is much waived and often rises into beautiful swells, and being, much intersected with arms of the sea, creeks, and rivulets, presents every where a vast variety of fine situations for building and improvements. The heads of the rivers and the creeks, are all more or less bordered by salt marshes, producing annually large crops of strong nutritive grass, without trouble or cultivation, which makes excellent hay, on which the greater part of the cattle are supported during the winter, but it is not good for working horses or milch cows; these marshes, when dyked in from the salt water, make the most valuable lands on the Island, this however is a work in which no great progress has yet been made.

Springs of the clearest and purest water, abound all over the Island, and which not only do not freeze in the winter, but the runs from them into the sea, keep a channel open, though the ice on both sides thereof will be a foot thick or more on the salt-water. Fine water is also obtained by digging wells at a moderate depth, it being, rarely necessary to exceed twenty-five feet, and there is very seldom an instance of being disappointed in getting water. There are not many swamps of any extent in the Island, and still fewer lakes or ponds of fresh water in comparison to the extent of the country. Travelling is not difficult through the woods, even where there are no roads, there being very little underwood to what is generally found in most other countries covered with forest, nor is it in the least incumbered with rocks, like the neighbouring country of Nova Scotia. The want of stone is perhaps the greatest natural want in the Island, it being in general of a soft sandy nature, and in some places difficult to be had of any kind. No mineral has yet been discovered in the Island, though there are strong indications of iron in many places.

In looking at the face of the country, every person will be at once struck with the great difference in appearance between it and the neighbouring continent, it having everywhere much the same appearance, without any impediment to the cultivation of the whole, no rocks, no impenetrable swamps, no extensive pine barrens to separate the settlements, so that there need not be a waste acre in the Island, a very uncommon circumstance, and which must finally enable it to maintain a much greater population than most other countries of the same extent. Roads are very easily made, from the nature of the soil and climate, and very considerable progress has been already made in that respect, considering the great extent of the Island, and the small number of inhabitants, there being tolerable roads between the capital and all the principal settlements, which have been chiefly made by the statute labour; all males from 16 to 60 years of age, according to their different circumstances, being obliged to perform from four to six days labour on the high roads annually. The facility with which roads can be made, is a circumstance of the most interesting nature, and when viewed in connection with our many navigable rivers and creeks, affording a safe water communication to a great part of the Island, cannot fail to be highly advantageous in every stage of our progress and settlement. The laying out of high roads, erecting of bridges, and appointing and regulating ferries is vested in the Governor or Lieutenant-Governor for the time being, and His Majesty's Council, and a reservation is made in the grant of every township, of such parts thereof, as may be wanted for high roads, so that there can be no part of the Island in which a just and reasonable claim to a road can be refused. The Governor and Council are however restricted from pulling down houses, or destroying orchards, gardens, mills, or mill dams, in laying out roads, and doubtless it will also become just and necessary in the progress of the settlement as roads multiply, to grant a reasonable compensation to the proprietors and occupiers of all inclosed and cultivated lands, through which it may be found necessary to lay out new roads for the public accommodation, which compensation it will frequently be proper to levy on the district for the benefit of which the road is claimed, in order to prevent the wanton abuse too common in new countries on the subject.