bounded in the rear by extensive barrens, and a dreary waste of " burnt land." Clements for many years past, has had a large herring fishery, which has much enriched the neighbourhood, but latterly it has not been so productive. Many causes have been assigned for this failure, but it is probable that the erection of numerous wears by destroying great quantities of young fish, has gradually diminished the fishery. It was at its heighth in 1783, when the loyalists removed thither, and continued undiminished until the year 1819, previous to which period the annual exports from Clements and Digby, amounted from sixty to one hundred thousand boxes, which were then severally worth five shillings. They also supplied the neighbouring inhabitants, as well as those in the interior, and furnished an excellent manure for the lands adjacent to the wares. Since that period, they have in a great measure deserted their old haunts, for although a great quantity is still taken, their appearance is uncertain, and their numbers not to be compared with the hosts that throng. ed the Annapolis Basin. The first "run" of the herrings commences in April, and is called the "Granville fish," from following the shore of that township, and though not so numerous, are twice the size of those that arrive during the last of May.They are full of spawn, in poor condition, and of an inferior quality. Of this kind it requires from fifty to seventy, and of the other nearly two hundred to fill the box, into which they are packed for exportation, which always contains half a bushel. The

The word herring is derived from the German' Heer' an army, to denote their great numbers and their gregarious propensities.

larger herrings are generally taken in nets, but those that follow during the season are invariably caught in wears. The second run' differs from their predecessors, not only in their size, but in not spawning within the Basin. They are frequently accompanied by a vast number of young fish, two small to be fit for use, and too numerous to render their selection an object worth attention. When this occurs, the proprietors of the wears open the gates, and allow the whole to escape. This run continues until the first of October, but is uncertain after the fifteenth of August. In former years they have been known to continue in the harbour as late as the middle of November, and in 1796, a quantity equal to 200 barrels was frozen into a solid mass in one of the wears.When the weather is cloudy, and the wind on shore, it is considered a favourable time for catching them, but moonlight is unpropitious. After being properly selected, they are cured by smoke, and are worth four shillings per box in Nova-Scotia, and 7s. 6d. in the West Indies.

Digby. The township of Digby was originally formed out of an extensive tract of land granted to Alexander M'Nutt, and his associates, which for a failure on the part of the grantees to perform the conditions of their patent, reverted to the crown.It was then granted to 475 loyalists, and contained 91,600 acres, exclusive of reservations made by the Surveyor General of woods for naval purposes, and 31,200 acres of unappropriated land. Many of these persons having left the Province and returned to their native Country, the patent was escheated, and the resident proprietors confirmed in their possesions,

the land reverting to government for non improvement, being about 31,230acres. This township contains Long Island and Brier Island within its limits, the whole of the northern and part of the southern side of St. Mary's bay, and extends from the boundary of Clements, near the Grand Joggin, to Sissiboo. The town of Digby is situated on the gradual slope of a hill which commands a view of part of Granville and Clements, and the broad and handsome basin that receives the collected waters of Annapolis, Moose, and Bear rivers. This place, from its position at the entrance of these rivers, the shelter it affords to vessels navigating the Bay of Fundy, and the advantages it possesses for prosecuting the mackarel and cod fishery, must eventually be a place of considerable importance. It is peculiarly adapted to ship building, and the enterprise of its inhabitants, has of late years been directed to this branch of business. It contains a Court-House, a spacious and well finished Church, and a number of neat and comfortable private dwelling-houses. The soil in its neighbourhood is light and gravelly, and well suited to raising Indian corn, although it is not sufficiently strong to raise wheat, but on the extended peninsula to the Petit passage, and at a distance of a mile or two from the town, it is of a better quality. At the head of St. Mary's bay, is an extensive tract of marsh land. The air of Digby is remarkably salubrious, the water excellent, and the town rendered particularly agreeable in summer, by a cool seabreeze. It is much frequented during the autumn by company from New-Brunswick.

A steam packet runs twice a week in summer be

tween Digby and St. John. About three miles below the town, the waters of the Basin are connected with the bay of Fundy, by a passage through the north mountain, called St. George's channel, but more generally known by sailor's as Digby Gut. It seems to have been formed by some violent effort of nature, its sides being nearly perpendicular. At its entrance is a light-house, well situated to protect the trade of the bay of Fundy. The inhabitants of Digby have within these few years past, been very suc cessful in the mackarel fishery. This fish, so justly celebrated, both for the elegance of its shape, and its merit as an article of food, has maintained its reputation through a long succession of ages, having been highly esteemed by the Romans, who extracted from it the famous sauce 'garum.' It is to be found on the coast as far as Virginia, although our vessels seldom pass Cape Cod, in search of it. The former tedious and uncertain mode of trailing' is wholly superseded by a recent discovery of the American fishermen. The first attempts to participate with that ingenious and enterprising people in this lucrative branch of business were made at Digby in the year 1824, and the success that attended these experiments, was such as subsequently to attract all the small craft of that part of the Province. They set sail from the County of Annapolis for the fishing ground, from the 1st to the 6th of June, but the Americans, with their usual activity, always depart for their stations six weeks earlier. The vessels employed in this business are from 20 to 55 tons,

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*This account is compiled from notes of conversations, which I have held with the persons engaged in it, and committed to paper at the time.

and the whole voyage occupies from four to six weeks, according to the weather. They are fitted out upon shares. The merchant furnishes the schooner, the salt, provisions, and fishing apparatus, for which he receives half the catch, and the crew divide the other half equally among them. The certainty of finding the fish, and the celerity with which they are taken, are such, that an experienced fisherman has but little advantage over an active landsman, and an able bodied young man commonly earns at this work, from five to nine pounds per month. The skipper is always provided with a barrel of old pickled herring, or either fresh or stale mackarel for bait, which is cut up into small pieces, and thrown overboard, for the purpose of alluring the fish to rise to the surface, and sometimes he scatters a small quantity of salt upon the water, which has a similar effect. In this seems to consist the great secret of the mackarel fishery. As soon as this food is thrown upon the waters, although there be no fish visible, miriads rise up and surround the vessel. As the cutting of the bait into minute particles is a work of time and labour, American ingenuity has invented a machiné for that purpose, very similar in shape and construction to a hand organ. It consists of a small box, through the centre of which passes a circular wooden bar, covered with the blades of knives, and turned by means of a small handle. When this is put in motion the bait is cut into innumerable small pieces. As soon as the mackarel rise to the surface, the fishermen lay the vessel too under the mainsail, and stow the other sails; they then bait their hooks with a piece of fresh mackarel or shark, and when they " VOL. II.

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