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From a scan by Laing MacDowell - laingmac@rogers.com

The following map is from a book, ca. 1800 in the possession of Laing. It is a history of the then known world. Unfortunately the book's name, exact date, and author are unknown, as the first several pages are missing. [We have since found the title of the book is A New Geographical, Historical, and Commercial Grammar and Present State of the Kingdoms of the World" and that it was written by William Guthrie, London, 1801. Thanks to Dr. John Banham for this information] While there is no section specifically on St. John's Island, later known as Prince Edward Island, in the book, there is a section on neighbouring Nova Scotia which you should find interesting. I have included the Nova Scotia passage in the hopes that we can identify the exact title of the book, as well as its author and exact date of publication. Below the text, you will find links to view index for the book, so that you will know what areas are covered by it, and so that if any of those areas are of interest to you, you can contact Laing for further information.

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From the book:

[Pgs. 865-867]

NOVA SCOTIA

Situation and Extent

Boundaries.] Bounded by the River St. Lawrence on the North; by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the Atlantic Ocean, East; by the ƒame ocean, South; and by Canada and New England, West. In the yeat 1784, this province was divided into two governments & the province and government now ƒtyled New Brunswick , is bounded on the weƒtward of the irver St. Croix, by the said river to its ƒource, and by a line drawn due south from thence to the ƒouthern boundary of the Province of Quebec, to the northward by the ƒame boundary as far as the weƒtern extremity of the Bay de Chaleur, to the eastward by the ƒame bay to the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the bay called Bay Verte, to the ƒouth by a line in the center of the Bay of Fundy, from the river St. Croix aforeƒaid, to the mouth of the Muƒquat River, by the ƒaid river to its ƒource, and from thence by a due eaƒt line acroƒs the isthmus into the Bay Verte, to join the eaƒtern lot above described, including all iƒlands within six leagues of the coaƒt.

Rivers.] The River of St. Lawrence forms the northern boundary. The rivers Riƒgouche and Nipiƒguit run from Eaƒt to Weƒf, and fall into the bay of St. Lawrence. The rivers of St. John, Paƒƒamagnadi, Penobƒcot, and St. Croix, which run from North to South, fall into Fundy Bay, or the ƒea a little to the eaƒtward of it.

Seas, Bays, and Capes.] The ƒeas adjoining to it are, the Atlantic ocean, Fundy Bay, and the gulf of St. Lawrence. The leƒƒer bays are Chignecto and Green Bay upon the isthmus, which joins the north part of the Nova Scotia to the ƒouth; and the bay of Chaleurs on the north-eaƒt; the bay of Chedibucto on the ƒouth eaƒt; the bay of the islands, the ports of Bart, Chebucto, Proƒper, St. Margaret, La Heve, port Maltois, port Ryƒignol, port Verte, and port Joly, on the ƒouth; port La Tour, on the ƒouth-eaƒt; port St. Mary, Annapolis, and Minas, on the ƒouth side of Fundy Bay, and port Roƒeway, now the most populous of all.

The chief capes are, Cape Portage, Ecoumenac, Tourmentin, Cape Port and Epis, on the Eaƒt. Cape Forgeri, and Cape Canceau, on the ƒouth-eaƒt. Cape Blanco, Cape Vert, Cape Theodore, Cape Dore, Cape Le Heve, and Cape Negro, on the ƒouth. Cape Sable and Cape Fourche on the ƒouth-weƒt.

Lakes.] The lakes are very numerous, but have not yet received particular names.

Climate.] The climate of this Country, though within the temperate zone, has been found rather unfavorable to European conƒtitutions. They are wrapt up in the gloom of a fog during great part of the year, and for four or five months it is intenƒely cold. But though the cold in winter and the heat in ƒummer are great, they come on gradually, ƒo as to prepare the body for enduring both.

Soil and Produce.] From ƒuch an unfavorable climate, little can be expected. Nova Scotia, or New Scotland, till lately was almoƒt a continued foreƒt; and agriculture, though attempted by Engliƒh settlerƒ, made little progreƒs. In moƒt parts, the ƒoil is thin and barren, the corn it produces is of a ƒhrivelled kind, like rye, and the graƒs is intermixed with a cold ƒpongy moƒs. However, it is not uniformly bad; there are tracts in the peninƒula to the ƒouthward, which do not yield to the beƒt land in New England, and by the induƒtry and exertions of the loyalists from the other provinces, are now cultivated, and likely to be fertile and flouriƒhing. In general, the ƒoil is adapted to the produce of hemp and flax. The timber is extremely proper for ƒhip-building, and produces pitch and tar. Flattering accounts have been given of the improvements making in the new ƒettlement and bay of Funtly [sic]. A quantity of land hath been cleared, which abounds in timber, and ƒhip loads of good maƒts and ƒpars have been ƒhipped from thence already.

Animals.] This country is not deficient in the animal productions of the neighbouring provinces, particularily deer, beavers, and otters. Wild foulƒ and all manner of game, and many kinds of European fowls and quadrupeds have, from time to time been brought into it, and thrive well. At the cloƒe of March, the fiƒh begin to ƒpawn, when they enter the rivers in ƒuch ƒhoals, as are incredible. Herrings come up in April, and the ƒturgeon and ƒalmon in May. But the moƒt valuable appendage of New Scotland is the Cape Sable coaƒt, along which is one continues range of cod fiƒhing-banks, navigable rivers, baƒons, and excellent harbours.

History, Settlement, Chief Towns, and Harbours.] Notwithƒtanding the forbidding appearance of this country, it was here that ƒome of the ƒirƒt European ƒettlements were made. The firƒt grant in lands, in it was given by James I to his ƒecretary Sir William Alexander from whom it had the name of Nova Scotia, or New Scotland. Since then, it has frequently changed hands, from one private proprietor to another, and from the French to the Engliƒh nation backward and forward. It was not confirmed to the Engliƒh, till the peace of Ultrect, and their deƒign in acquiring it does not ƒeem to have ƒo much ariƒen from any proƒpect of direct profit to be obtained from it, aƒ from an apprehenƒion that the French, by poƒƒeƒƒing this province, might have had it in their power to annoy our other ƒettlements. Upon this principle, 3000 families were tranƒported in 1749, at the charge of the government into this country. The town they erected is called Halifax, from the earl of that name, to whoƒe wiƒdom and care we owe this ƒettlement. The town of Halifax ƒtands on Chebucto Bay, very commodiouƒly ƒituated for the fiƒhery, and has a communications with moƒt parts of the province, either by land carriage, the ƒea, or navigable rivers, with a fine harbour, where a ƒmall ƒquadron of ƒhips of war lies during the winter, and in ƒummer puts to ƒea, under the command of a commodore, for the protection of the fiƒhery, and to ƒee that the articles of the late peace, relative thereto, are duly obƒerved by the French. The town has an intrenchment, and is ƒtrengthened with forts of timber. The other towns of leƒs note are Annapolis Royal, which ƒtands on the eaƒt ƒide of the Bay of Fundy, and though but a ƒmall place, was formerly the capitol of the province. It has one of the fineƒt harbours in America, capable of containing a thouƒand veƒƒels at anchor, in the utmoƒt ƒecurity. St. John's is a new ƒettlement, at the mouth of the river by that name, that falls into the Bay of Fundy, on the weƒt ƒide.

Since the concluƒion of the American war, the emigration of loyaliƒts to this province from the United States, hath been very great, by them new towns have been raiƒed, as Shelbourne, which extends two miles on the water ƒide, and is ƒaid to contain already 9000 inhabitants. Of the old ƒettlements, the moƒt flouriƒhing and populous are Halifax, and the townships of Windƒor, Norton, and Cornwallis, between Halifax and Annapolis. Of the new ƒettlements, the moƒt important are Shelbourne, Parr town, Digby, and New Edinburgh. Large tracts of land have been lately cultivated, and the province is now likely to advance in population and fertility."

Note: If anyone recognizes this text, and can give me the full name of the publication, its author, and date of publication, please contact me!

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