1 By adopting this line A. B. the entrance Lock in St. Peter's Bay must be strongly protected by Piers, and a Breakwater of Masonry; this point being exposed to the action of the sea, during all gales from the south and south west. Here the beach is com posed of sand and the water shallow. By the line which I propose, the Canal will terminate at both extremities in deep water, the bottom clay, where good anchorage will be found under cover of the protecting head. The entrance Lock at St. Peter's Bay will be effectually secured from all 'violent action of the sea. The soil and subsoil of this line, being of a clay loam, is well adapted for Canal excavation. From the above considerations as to situation, independent of extra expense of a Breakwater, cutting through a sandy beach, and grubbing of timber, I have been induced to give a preference to this line. The soundings in the Bras d' Or Lake, from the Canal termination to its outlet, vary from four to ten, fifteen and forty fathoms. The entrance to St. Peter's Bay is sufficiently deep for vessels of the largest class. The leading channels are wide and easy of access. Sir, I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) St. Peter's Bay, July 1, 1825. FRANCIS HALL Estimate of the Expense of making the proposed Canal from St. Peter's Bay to the Bras d' Or Lake. From Indian Chapel Island, at the entrance of the Narrows, or strait, leading to St. Peter's, the south shore of the lake continues about six miles N. E. penetrated in the same irregular manner, by branching inlets; thence, near the Red Islands, it makes nearly a straight course twenty-five miles to the head of the East Bay, or St. Andrew's Channel, terminating in the Barrasoi or Lagune of Tweedmooge, already mentioned. Thence in the same direction, the distance to the Portage Lake is only two miles and a half over low land. The lake itself, and a short brook by which it is empted into the head of the S. W. Arm of Sydney harbor, make the whole distance between the two waters from four to five miles. The road from St. Peter's winds round the heads of the inlets in the lake, near that place, and then proceeds along the southern shore, and across the portage at Tweedmooge, passing over some abrupt cliffs on the lake shore, which is settled throughout, by Scotch principally, but not far into the back country. The northern shore of this bay measures eighteen miles from the head of Tweedmooge, in a westerly direction, to Benaakady inlet or pond, as the inhabitants term it, and is altogether settled by Scotch emigrants, excepting the residence of the Indians at Escasoni, near which the shore forms a recess filled with islands. At Benaakady the land turns north-westerly five miles, to the Scotch narrows, completing the circuit of the Bras d' Or Lake, which in its greatest length, from S. W. to N. E. from the head of the west to the extremity of the east bay, measures in a direct line forty-two miles ; its greatest width, at right angles with that course, from Brooklesby inlet on the north, to McNab's farm, near the Indian Island, on the south shore, being eighteen miles. This expanse of water is so great, and has so much of a sea like character, that the effect of the scenery on the shore is in a great measure lost, being in many parts out of sight, and resembling in fact the coast of the ocean in its exposure. Upon the borders of such a sheet of water, tremendous heights only would be adequate to effect a showy picture. These the Bras d'Or does not possess, its greatest elevations aspire to no loftier title than high ranges of hills, and in many parts, the shore is flat. It is not until the traveller approaches the heads of the arms, or enters 31 VOL. II. the inlets and straits, that his eye is much attracted by the beauty of the prospect. In those recesses many picturesque views occur, generally partaking more of the placid and harmonious, than of the bold or sublime. The high craggy cliffs of the Atlantic coast, near St. Anne's, and to the northward, afford more scenes of grandeur. From the summits of some of the Brad d' Or heights, indeed, where the forest has been displaced, extensive views may be obtained, over woods, islands and waters; at the same time grand and tranquil, and admirable vistas may be had through the intervening forest, from some of these eminences. The rivers flowing into the Bras d' Or, are streams of sixty or one hundred feet wide, extremely winding, with a great number of short turns, and descending through flat land between ranges of hills. The flats are denominated intervales by the inhabitants, and often present scenes of uncommon beauty; large open meadows of bright verdure, appearing shaded by clumps of huge elm trees, along the meandering courses of the river, and backed on either side by the lofty forest on the hills, irregularly approaching and receding from the stream. The prospect at the entrance of these rivers is far different, and by no means of a sort to raise pleasing anticipations of the scenery above; the stream being obstructed, and parted into several smaller channels, by low marshy islands, the land on each side near these mouths being also generally low, and being overhung with the dark heavy foliage of the hemlock and spruce. The water here is sluggish, the bottom muddy, and the surface disfigured by the huge roots |