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of the Island, and having the advantage of an immediate and east communication with interior parts by means of the three fine rivers of lIillsborough, York and Elliott. The ground designated for the town and fortress is well situated upon a regular ascent from the water front. :\ fine rivulet will run through the town. A battery or two some distance advanced will entirely com- mand the harbour, so that an enemy attempting the town, cannot do so without great difficulty. Having passed the battery at the entrance to the harbour, he must attempt a passage up the Hillsborough and York Rivers, the channels of which are intricate and the entrance of the respective channels will be so near the town that a passage must be attempted with the greatest hazard. Should an enemy land troops on either side of the Bay of Hillsborough, they must still have the river of the same name on the east, or Elliot or York Rivers on the west, to pass before they can effect anything of consequence.

“As this side of the Island cannot have a fishery, it may probably be more expedient to indulge it with some particular privileges; and as all the judicial and civil, as well as a good part of the commercial business will be transacted here, it will make it at least equally flourishing with the other county towns.

“Georgetown is recommended to be built on the point of land called Cardigan Point, there being a good harbour for ships of any burden on each side of Cardigan river on the north, or on Montague River on the south side, but the latter, although a much narrower channel in coming in, is preferable, as the bay for anchoring will be close by the town immediately on entering the river and going around Goose Neck—a long point of dry sand running half over the river and forming one part of Albion Bay, the place of anchorage. On the Goose Neck may be a pier, where goods may be shipped with great convenience and facility. The place proposed is so situate as to be easily made secure, as well as the entrance into the two respective harbours. There is a communication inland by means of Cardigan, Brudenell and Montague Rivers, from the top of which last to the source of Orwell river is not quite ten miles; and Orwell river, emptying itself into the great bay of Hillsborough, makes a safe and short communication both in winter and summer, betwixt the two of the county towns.

“Princetown is proposed to be built on a most convenient spot of ground as well for fishery as for fortification. The site is on a peninsula, having Darnley Basin on the northeast, which is a convenient harbour for small vessels, and where they may lie all winter. The town will have convenient ground for drying fish, and ships of burden can anchor near it in the bay. It can be fortified at little expense; some batteries and small works erected along the shore would entirely secure it.”

It is interesting to note what Captain Holland, upwards of a century ago, says about the climate.

“The time of the setting in of the frost in winter, and its breaking up in the spring, is very uncertain. In general it is observed that about October there usually begins to be frost in the morning and evening, which generally increases in severity until about the middle of September, when it becomes extremely sharp. At this time the northwest wind with sleet, seldom falls. In a little time the rivers on the Island are fro7en up, and even the sea some distance from land. The ice soon becomes safe to travel 011, as it is at least twenty—two inches thick. The snow upon the ground and in the woods is often a surprising depth, and it is impossible to travel except on snowshoes. The Acadians now have recourse to little cabins or huts in the woods where they are screened from the violence of the weather and at the same time have the con- \enience of wood and fuel. Here they live on the fish they have cur,ed in the summer, and game which they have frequently killed, as hares, partridgesy, lynxes, wild cats, otters, martins or muskrats, none of which they refuse to eat, as necessity plesses them In the spring the rivers seldom break up till April, and the snow is not entirely off the ground till the middle of May. It ought to be observed that as St. John is not fortunately troubled with fogs, as are the neighbouring islands of Cape Breton and Newfoundland, neither has so settled or so constant a climate as Canada. Here are frequent changes of weather, as rain, snow, hail and hard frost."

In addition to the surveys at St. Jean and Cape Breton, which he personally directed, Holland had additional parties at work, two on the St. Lawrence River and the third on the Gaspe coast.

Upon the completion of the survey of Isle St. Jean in the autumn of 1765, Holland proceeded with the survey of Cape Breton, which he completed in the following year. On November 22, 1766, he sent to England a description of ”Cape Breton,” dated from Louisburg in July, 1767. He reported that the