nment; which should also supply them with arms and
ammunition, as far as should be judged necessary for their defence, with
proper materials and utensils for clearing and cultivating their lands,
erecting habitations, exercising the fishery, and such other purposes as
should be judged necessary for their support.

TOWN OF HALIFAX FOUNDED.

The scheme was so feasible, and the encouragement so inviting, that in
a little time about four thousand adventurers, with their families, were
entered, according to the directions of the board of trade, who in the
beginning of May set sail from England, under the command of Colonel
Cornwallis, whom the king had appointed their governor, and towards the
latter end of June arrived at the place of their destination, which
was the harbour of Chebucton, on the sea-coast of the peninsula, about
midway between Cape Canceau and Cape Sable. It is one of the most secure
and commodious havens in the whole world, and well situated for the
fishery; yet the climate is cold, the soil barren, and the whole country
covered with woods of birch, fir, pine, and some oak, unfit for the
purposes of timber; but at the same time extremely difficult to remove
and extirpate. Governor Cornwallis no sooner arrived in this harbour
than he was joined by two regiments of infantry from Cape Breton, and a
company of rangers from Annapolis. Then he pitched upon a spot for the
settlement, and employed his people in clearing the ground for laying
the foundations of a town; but some inconveniences being discovered in
this situation, he chose another to the northward, hard by the harbour,
on an easy ascent, commanding a prospect of the whole peninsula, and
well supplied with rivulets of fresh and wholesome water. Here he began
to build a town on a regular plan, to which he gave the name of Halifax,
in honour of the nobleman who had the greatest share in founding
the colony; and before the approach of winter, above three hundred
comfortable wooden houses were built, the whole surrounded by a strong
pallisade. This colony, however, has by no means answered the sanguine
expectations of the projectors; for notwithstanding the ardour with
which the interests of it were promoted by its noble patron, and the
repeated indulgence it has reaped from the bounty of the legislature,
the inhabitants have made little or no progress in agriculture; the
fishery is altogether neglected, and the settlement entirely subsists
on the s