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carried into execution, except such parts thereof as relate to the appointments of soldiers, and furnishing an armed vessel and boats for the aforementioned service, with respect to which his Majesty hath this (lay given the necessary directions to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and to the Secretary at “Var.

(Signed) PHIL SHARPE.

On March 6th, 1764, Captain Samuel Holland was appointed Surveyor- General of the Province of Quebec at a salary of £365 per annum, and on the 23rd of the same month he was honoured with a commission as Surveyor- General of the Northern District, but without additional salary.

The Northern District comprised all that part of North America lying North of the Potomac River and of a line drawn due West from the headwaters of the main branch of that River as far as His Majesty's dominions extend. Captain Samuel Holland, who was then in England, was instructed to proceed first with the survey of the Islands of St. Jean (Prince Edward Island), the Magdalenes and Cape Breton in the order given, as they were considered of the greatest importance, due to the fisheries.

The instructions further state “that in the survey the greatest precision and exactness will be required and expected, the latitudes and longitudes of the most important places must be settled by just astronomical observations, the depths of water and soundings, as well on the coast as within the harbours, must be taken with the greatest care, and every remark made which contend to the security and information of such of His Majesty’s subjects as may navigate those seas." A full report, giving a careful descriptionof the country and its capabilities, was to accompany the map. It was also pointed out how the Island was to be divided, and approximately what should be the area of the Townships, Parishes and Counties. Lieutenants Robinson, Haldimand (Assist— ant Judge, 1778), and Carleton, and Thomas Wright (afterwards Surveyor— General of P. E. Island) were appointed assistant surveyors to accompany Captain Holland; and as soon as the vessel assigned for the service was ready, he was to embark for Quebec, preparatory to entering upon the survey.

This vessel, called the Canceaux, was apparently a merchant vessel of 200 tons, armed for the occasion and manned with forty men, and was commanded by Lieutenant Henry Mowatt. They most likely sailed from Portsmouth. for we find them passing through the Needles of the Isle of “light on 26th May. On 11th July they had arrived near Scatari, Cape Breton, when a thick fog coming in, which Captain Holland informs us, “had like to prove fatal to us all. The fog was excessive thick, and all on a sudden, when we expected the least, we were surprised with the report of a musket and the people crying out ‘breakers ahead’ within a cable's length of us. An open fishing boat (the first we had seen since our departure from England, and which Providence put in our way) apprised us of our danger, and we had just time to steer clear of them."

In the River St. Lawrence they met with gales and head winds, and being anxious to deliver his despatches to General Murray, Captain Holland left the ship on 19th July, accompanied by Lieutenant Robinson, one of his assistants, and Captain Hope and Mr. Lotbiniere, two passengers, set out in a six-oared open boat, in which they proceeded for some distance. He then tried horseback, but finding their horses had much to do to get through the mud and swamps,