Hollingsworth, S. (1787) The present state of Nova Scotia; with a brief account of Canada, and the British islands on the coast of North America. London. 221 pp. [UPEI, Robertson Library: PEl F5000.c35, No. 5921

Whether Hol/ingsworth (whoever he may be) ever visited Prince Edward Island is not known, but from the briefness of the account he gives an the island — which I quote in full — it would appear that he had not. Although most of what he writes would appear to be valid, his brief reference to the forests, even if literal/y true, is misleading: by 7 787 the amount of wood in overall terms that had been cut must have been very small - certain/y (as Bumsted ( 198 7) notes}, some had been utilized by Philips Cal/beck in relation to the defence of the island during the five years ( 7 775— 7 780) that he had led the government during the absence of Governor Patterson in England — though this activity could not have made much of an impression on the forests of the island as a whole. And it is very doubtful whether any more than a small amount had been exported to the West Indies.

REFERENCE: Bumsted, J. M. (1987) Land, Settlement, and Politics in Eighteenth-Century Prince Edward island. McGill—Oueen’s University Press. p. 75.

Soon after passing the Straights of Canso, the island of St John becomes visible, and may be seen from Nova Scotia. It has two or three good harbours, and one large town, besides several smaller ones. lts population amounts to near 5000 persons of all sorts, most of whom have settled since the commencement of the war. Large

WOOU'S CUT and tracts of woods have been cut down, and a part of them already exported to the lumber exported. British West Indies. The lands in general are not so high above the level of the sea as those of the neighbouring provinces, but are accounted fertile in grain, and afford good pasture for horses and horned cattle. lpp. 144-45]

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