Anon. (1818) Some Account of Prince Edward’s Island, and its Advantages as a Settlement for Emigrants. The New Month/y Magazine, 1 September 1818, pp. 1 14-17. London. [Reprinted in Abegweit Review (Fall 1995 — Spring 1996), Vol. 8, No. 2: 153—159.]

As its title indicates, this article was written to entice emigration from Britain to Prince Edward Island. However, its blatant exaggeration must have been evident to all but the incurab/y naive of 1818. Its general/y utopian view of the island contains an almost comical mix of mis-information I ”the snow, which is never very deep, never falls after January”); internal contradiction i ”there are no taxes levied; indeed such a thing is impossible where there is no representation”, followed immediately by: ”the House of Assembly is returned in the same manner as our Members of Par/lament”); and exaggeration I ”the poorest families will sit do wn to a roast pig, wild ducks and salmon every day of the week”). It also has a strong anti-American bias: (”a land / pronounce unequal/ed, with all its disadvantages of petty tyranny, merciless oppression, and over whelming taxation ”l. One has thus to be cautious about taking anything in it as fact. All the same, it does appear that the author had visited the island and that he knew some parts well, especially Charlottetown, and the area around Bedeque — where he ”spent some happy days on his tour”. His comments on the forest, partaking as they do of the faults of the whole article, are very general and of little value: they great/y exaggerate the value of the timber and the ease of its exploitation and clearing. The article drew an immediate riposte from another author — also anonymous/y, but probably John Hill — who published a corrective account in the January 7819 issue of the European Magazine - see: [Hill] (1819, 1826).

Timber 868W This interesting island is entirely covered with wood, Wherever the settler transported. resides, he will find a stream at no great distance, which will convey his timber to the seat of Government, or one of the most frequented ports; an incalculable benefit in a new settlement, where roads through the woods [are] impassable during one half

of the year. Ip. 1141 Almost a” On approaching the island, it looks like an immense forest rising from the sea. Not forested. much of the land has been cleared, compared with the numerous settlers upon it, who

in general purchase two hundred acres, and clear no more than twenty, which suffices to keep them in affluence beyond their hopes or expectations. The soil is so rich that it produces seven-fold. A track of country, covered with lofty timber for more then three square miles, will be this year burnt down, and the next without ploughing will produce the finest crops of wheat, barley, and potatoes. Industry is not required, amusement is the sole duty of the farmer, and in following his pleasure Fruits of he ensures his profits. wild strawberries and raspberries grow down to the very the forest. edge of the rivers, superior in size and flavour to any cultivated in England. The woods are thick with black currants, and cherries equally good, but little regarded by the settlers, who all enter into the timber trade, with a zeal that often proves fatal to their farming concerns. [The Indians] are serviceable as hunters of bears,

lpp. 114»1 5] More than forty sail of ships are employed in the timber trade to Europe; some of them six hundred tons burthen, and all built upon the island. The lumber trade to the

Clearing by fire.

The timber trade.

West Indies is great. timber being got at the door [p. 116] Charlottetown A person entering from the sea into an extensive river, surrounded by lofty forests, harbour. is agreeably surprised as he clears the block-house point, to see an elegant little town

[Charlottetown] sprinkled over a green descent Three rivers meet at Charlottetown,

down which the Indian canoes [bring] fish of every kind, wild geese, ducks and partridges. [p. 116]

His wood, ready cut, is piled in front of the house, — every bush affords him fruits of various kinds; and while the nut, cherry, currant, gooseberry, strawberry, apples, Map/e sugar. plums, and pears invite his plucking, his cows give him milk without any care to feed them. If he wants sugar, the maple tree has only to be bled to procure it in

Game readily abundance; and if he desires game, the hare, the pheasant and the partridge, are available. domesticated at his very threshold Ip. 117]

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