| Title: | British Officer, Halifax N.S. to [A Dobbs, Carrickfergus?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 300 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | British Officer/4 |
| Year | 1750 |
| Sender | British Officer |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | army officer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Destination | Carrickfergus?, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Dobbs, Arthur |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | business |
| Source | D 162/50: Presented by Major A.F. Dobbs, Castle Dobbs, Carrickfergus, County Antrim. Per Mr A.E. Dobbs. #TYPE EMG [An Officer of an Expeditionary Force?] Halifax [Nova Scotia?] to [Arthur Dobbs, Carrickfergus?] August 13 1750. |
| Archive | Public Record Office, N. Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 8911072 |
| Date | 13/08/1750 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | 20:11:1989 LT created 04:07:1990 CD input 10:07:19 |
| Word Count | 1349 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Halifax Aug [August?] 13th 1750 We arrived in this Harbour the 1st Instant after a passage of 42 days from Kinsale during which time we had but 10 days fair wind, the Town is built upon a rising ground from the sea, and were the Buildings equal to Towns in England, I believe it would exceed any for situation or regularity - the streets being laid out with vast judgment & almost any part of the town commands the Harbour and entrance; there is not a better Harbour in the world, it is so well lockd [locked?] in by land. I compute it to be a mile and half in Breadth and 12 or 13 in length, we ride in 12 fathom water about 200 yards from the shore and am told there is not a spot but any ship in England may ride in safety, and if they please within half a cables length of the shore. Nova Scotia is a large [Apeninsula extending from S W [South West?] to N E [North East?] upwards of 400 miles in length and near 400 in Breadth, our Regimt [regiment?] is to march from this in about six days to Minas about 60 miles from this, where we are to take shipping for Chignecto which is 66 leagues from Minas by sea & 200 miles by land. Chignecto is joynd [joined?] to the mainland by an Isthmus from the Peninsula, the place Major Lawrence went to take possession of, when the French and Indians set fire to their houses but told him he might take possession of one side of the Isthmus, which was that they burnt the Houses on, but that the other he would maintain as the property of the King of France, our governr [governor?] when he was sent here has orders to take possession of both sides which it seems we have a right to by the Treaty of Utrecht, and can never think ourselves safe until we have possession of both sides, as the French have a Fort just opposite to the ground we are going to fortifie [fortify?], there goes with our Regimt [regiment?] 500 men from Warburtons and Cornwallis regimt [regiment?] the Frame of the Barrack and plank to cover it goes in small craft of scooners [schooners?] about 40 or 50 Tuns [Tons?], we are to pitch our Tents until the Barracks are built, major Lawrence is made Lieut [Lieutenant?] Colonel and will have the command on this expedition, we are told there are 400 setlers [settlers?] embarkd [embarked?] for this new settlement, and that the French and Indians who did inhabit it have cleard [cleared?] 12 miles of ground free from Trees and that it is extream [extremely?] good soyl [soil?] and plenty of game, it is said we are not to molest the French until we have orders from the King, but if we find we are a match for them, I believe the Coll [Colonel?] will think proper to dislodge them, all our ships are arrivd [arrived?], the newham was the last who came in 5 days ago. The Houses of the metropolis and of all our settlemts [settlements?] are of wood, the Frames and Boards we have from New England as the saw mills are not finishd [finished?] here, but will have those soon without depending upon New England, our Lime and Brick for chimneys we have from thence also, we have all kinds of stock here that you have in Ireland, we have Bears Foxes Wolves & mountain cats of the prey kind next province to us on the S W [South West?] of the peninsula is inhabited by French and Indians the French settled mostly on the north side in number about 15000 all roman Catholicks [Catholics?] - they live on the produce of the country, their cloaths [clothes?] [are?] coarse woollen stuff which they make themselves their Beer made of spruce Tree tops boyld [boiled?] up with molasses which is very wholsome [wholesome?] and drank [drunk?] in in common by all in these parts, the Indians are not above 1000 of the same religion with the French, they have no settled place of abode living in wigwams or Huts which they can build in a day for food they have what they can kill in the woods [moose?], Deer, Beavers, Porcupines, Bears Partridges Pigeons and Fish which they get in the Rivers, cod Haddock salmon Trout Hallybuts [halibuts?] mackrall [mackerel?] Herrings Flat fish [Rack?] fish lobsters musseles [mussels?] - clams with Pollack and many others - Their drink commonly New England Rum, which they have in plenty for their furs from the french; the climate is generally very Hot from the month of April till Augst [August?] we have frequent fogs very thick and sudden from the sea imagind [imagined?] to Rise from the fishing Banks off the mouth of the Harbour, from Augst [August?] to [gher?] frequent heavy rains, from [gher?] to Feby [February?] snow in such quantity as to be from 8 to 12 feet thick on the ground, from Feby [February?] till May clear weather mostly till all is dissolvd [dissolved?] which is by the middle of April, n:b: our climate is much preferable to cape Breton and not so good as New England; this part all along the south side is mountainy all coverd [covered?] with woods very stony and a stiff clay, the north side a fine levell [level?] improvd [improved?] county and a rich black soyl [soil?] which will produce anything you have in Britain or Ireland; the kind of woods are oak Beech Birch White Black 5 or 6 kinds of firs or Pines as many sorts of spruce maple and some Ash, our commodities are only salt cod at present, of which they hope to cure to the value of 15 or 2000£ this season, I don't know anything you have the liberty of importing that would answer worth sending to our parts, for the war with the Indians stops all the Fur Trade all kind of goods you can send us will sell well particularly woollens, but that Trade is dangerous, spanish dollar is the money that passes here at £5 sterling per dollar and english money is at present very scarce a guinea passes for 22 shillings and all other coin in proportion, the money depends upon the grants of Parliamt [Parliament?] and payment of the forces exchange to Engld [England?] from 5 to 6 1/2 pr [per?] cent, the extent of this and neighbouring county I referr [refer?] you to the maps sent home, New England Borders on one western parts Cape Breton on the Eastern in some places not above 3 leagues over, Tradesmen of all kinds are wanting - we have no plantations on this part of the Land, nor are fit for that purpose, their [there?] being no lands laid out but the Lots in Town, but I believe any man may have as much land as he can cultivate, gardens we have tho [though?] small, but the improvd [improved?] part of the country produces all sorts of Roots and greens you have in Ireland, much better Turnips, but not so good Potatoes for our Fruit we can't say much, but are persuaded that what Trees will grow well with you will hear [here?] with equal care, cows horses sheep swine and poultry are very cheap at Minas, from whence we are chiefly supplyd [supplied?] our Bread & flower [flour?] comes chiefly from New York and Philadelphia, some from New London and Rhode Island The Houses are framd [framed?] plankd [planked?] and boarded over in [Senek?] [work?] the [roof?] [though?] you can get as good a House built in Ireland for £60 as here for 300 - and 4 years rent the price of the Building, it is computed there are 3000 sould [sold?] in Hallyfax [Halifax?] and a sufficient number of houses to cover them so you may think what an Improvement the governt [government?] has made in 12 months when before it was all a wood, all [parties?] speak well of the governt [government?] |
