tute almost the sole riches of the settlers, whose principal trade is the building of large skiffs, which are used in coasting between the United States, Acadia, and the Antilles. The fortune of an individual is computed by the number of his trees, each of which is worth about a guinea a foot. Some fertile plains are seen, but, in general, the country is mountainous, and agriculture, upon the whole, neglected. The Americans supply the inhabitants with most of their grain and provisions. But there are two harvests of Indian corn reaped here in the year; one in July, and the other in December. The inhabitants likewise cultivate legumes and tobacco. There are also orange-trees, olives, laurels, peartrees, &c. The red wood is peculiar to these islands. Its coloured part feeds worms, which become flies, a little larger than the cochineal bug, and which are used in place of that valuable insect. The population may be estimated at 10,000 souls; in this number there are about 4,900 black slaves. The most considerable of these islands-which are altogether about 400 in number—are St George, St David, Cooper, Ireland, Somerset, Long Island, Bird Island, and Nonesuch. The city. of St George, in the island of the same name, contains 250 houses. Hamilton is at present an inconsiderable town. English laws are in force, and the legislative power is vested in a general council.-These islands were discovered, according to the common opinion, in 1557, by Juan Bermudas; but it is probable that they were known in 1515 under the double name of Bermuda and La Garca. Authorities.] The British Dominions in North America by J. Bouchette, 2 vols. 4to. London.-British America by John Macgregor, 2 vols. 8vo. Edinburgh.-Talbot's Five Years residence in Canada, 2 vols. 8vo. London.-Howeson's Sketches, 8vo. Edinburgh.-Halyburton's History of Nova Scotia, 2 vols. 8vo. UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA. Preliminary Remarks.] Previous to the purchase of Louisiana by the government of the United States of North America, from Napoleon Bonaparte, it was a difficult matter accurately to determine the line of demarcation between the British possessions in North America, and those of the United States, in the north-western quarter. As far as the N.W. extremity of the lake of the Woods, in 49° 37′ N. lat. and 94° 31′ W. long., the boundary was pretty clearly defined; but beyond this limitowing to the geographical ignorance of both parties, at the period of the peace of 1783-it became a matter of uncertainty how, or where to fix it. As both parties believed the source of the Mississippi to be in the same parallel of latitude with the N.W. extremity of the lake of the Woods, and at least 6 degrees of longitude to the W. of that position, the line of boundary was made to run from the N.W. extremity of the above lake, in a line due W., till it should strike the above supposed source of the Mississippi; and thence to run in a S.E. direction down the middle of that stream, as far as the 31st degree of latitude. But as the head of the Mississippi has been found, by the successive observations of Mr Thomson, astronomer to the North-west company, and captain Pike, who, in 1806, by orders of the American government, ascended the river to its source, to lie in 47° 42′ N. lat. and 95° 8′ W. long., or only 37′ W. and 1° 55′ to the S. of the N.W. extremity of the lake of the Woods, a difference of opinion has of course arisen between the North-west company and the American government, respecting the boundary. Messrs Thomson and Mackenzie are of opinion that the boundary should run from the N.W. end of the above lake in a S.W. direction, till it touch the source of the Mississippi ; and it is to be remarked, that the charter of the Hudson's bay company extends to all the waters that fall into Hudson's bay, and therefore must include the Moose, Assiniboin, and Red river, which disembogue themselves into Lake Winnipeg, and which are again conveyed to Hudson's bay by the rivers Severn and Nelson. If the letter of the Hudson's bay company's charter were to be strictly adhered to by both parties, it would carry the boundary line for a certain distance W. of the source of the head of the Mississippi, as far S. as the parallel of 46°, or more than 100 geographical miles to the S. of the source of that river; comprehending an extensive tract of well-wooded and fertile territory, watered by the Red river and its numerous branches, with the Moose river that rises within a mile of the northern bank of the Missouri river. Mr Mackenzie further observes, that if the boundary, instead of following the course of the small lakes from the N.W. end of Lake Superior, as far as the N.W. extremity 325 of the lake of the Woods, were to follow the principal rivers to their source, it ought to keep through Lake Superior to the river St Louis, which may be regarded as the parent-stream of the St Lawrence, and ascend that stream to its source, close to which is the source of the waters falling into Lake Rainy,-which is a common route of the Indians to the lake of the Woods. The source of the St Louis is but a very short distance from the source of Meadow river, one of the head-waters of the Mississippi, and where it is navigable for canoes. He is further of opinion, that the line of boundary should be continued thence in a S.W. and then in a western direction, till it strikes the Pacific ocean to the S. of the Columbia river, in lat. 46°. It is to be observed, however, that if Mr Mackenzie's opinion were to be adopted, it would not only include all the waters that fall into Lake Winnipeg from the S. and the S.W. as the Red, Assiniboin, and Saskatchewine rivers, but also the whole of the Upper Missouri, with its northern and several of its southern branches, and also the entire course of the Columbia, which would deprive the Americans of all intercourse with the W. coast of America, and to which we may be very certain the American government would never submit. Besides, the treaty of 1783 and that of December, 1814, carry the boundary as far to the N.W. as 49° 37′ N. lat. and 94° 31′ W. long. expressly, and at the very utmost, the charter of the Hudson's bay company, however it may include all the waters that fall into Hudson's bay, cannot with any colour of justice be construed to comprehend the Missouri, with its concomitant streams, as none of these fall into Hudson's bay, and therefore cannot be included in the charter. Some of the northern branches of the Missouri extend as far N. as 50° and upwards of N. lat., and the Missouri itself bends to the N.E. as far as 48° 20′ N. lat. The Americans, on the other hand, maintain that if the pretensions of the North-west company were to be admitted, agreeably to Mr Thomson's idea, in making the line of boundary run from the N.W. extremity of the lake of the Woods, almost due S. instead of due W., till it touch the source of the Mississippi, it would deprive them not only of the upper course of the Red river, but of nearly two-fifths of Louisiana; whereas, if the line, agreeably to the treaty of 1783, is run due W. from the lake of the Woods, it will strike the Red river nearly at its junction with the Assiniboin river, thence crossing that river, and running in a continuous line due W. it will cross the Columbia, and then strike the western coast, at Birch bay, in Queen Charlotte's sound, in 49° N. lat., or nearly 3 degrees N. of the mouth of the Columbia. It is surprising that the boundaries beyond the N.W. extremity of the lake of the Woods, have not been settled at all, notwithstanding that the country has been explored as far W. as the Pacific, both by British and Americans. Ignorance of the interior of North America can now no longer be pretended as an excuse for allowing this boundary to remain undefined, and to leave it solely to the American government and the Hudson's bay company to settle it between themselves. The powers of the commissioners on both sides, according to the provisions of the treaty of 1814, were limited entirely to adjust with precision what is the middle of the river St Lawrence, and of the lakes and water communications, as far as the lake of the Woods, which they have accordingly done; but beyond this their powers do not extend. Delays in settling the boundary westward, will, by gradually unfolding the value of the country, only increase the difficulty of fixing the limits, and afford subject matter of future and serious disputes between both countries. The Americans are an en |