[Raymonp] PRE-LOYALIST SETTLEMENTS OF NOVA SCOTIA 41 
Quebec as he had already done in that of Louisbourg. But he seems 
to have been designedly shut out of the campaign of 1759. General 
Amherst condoled with him in his disappointment, intimating that he 
was left in Nova Scotia as a province of the utmost importance, and 
which at so critical a juncture needed the care of an experienced and 
good officer. He was cheered by the success that attended his attempts 
to draw settlers from New England. In his letter to the Lords of Trade 
of the 20th April, 1759, he writes:— 
“T have now the satisfaction to acquaint your Lordships that 
Agents appointed by some hundreds of associated substantial families, 
residing in the colonies of Connecticut and Rhode Island, are arrived 
to visit the Bay of Fundy and chuse lands for the immediate settlement 
of two or more townships, if upon viewing the country they find it 
answer the description I have given of it in the Proclamation, and the 
accounts handed about by the different people who have transiently 
had occasion to know something of its uncommon fertility. I propose 
sending them away in a few days in one of the Province Vessells with 
the Principal Surveyor,! who is well acquainted with every department 
in the Bay, and who I am persuaded will bring them back perfectly 
pleased and satisfied with everything that falls under their observation. . 
On the return of these gentlemen from the Bay, which will be I presume 
in about three weeks, should they appear impatient for Grants I shall 
take the advice of the Council for my guidance and give your Lordships 
the earliest intelligence of every part of our proceedings.” 
In connection with the New England immigration we note that 
in the eastern parts of Massachusetts interest centred chiefly in the 
southern part of Nova Scotia, the Atlantic seaboard, to which settlers 
were attracted who laid the foundations of many of the well-known 
towns along that coast. In eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island 
more interest was displayed in the district of Minas and the townships 
at the head of the Bay of Fundy. 
To what extent Colonel Alexander MeNutt was concerned in direct- 
ing the tide of emigration to Nova Scotia from the old colonies it is 
difficult to say. He himself claimed to have been largely instrumental 
in sending many settlers from New England during the lifetime of 
Governor Lawrence. To this claim, however, Lawrence’s successor, 
Belcher, took some exception as we shall see hereafter. 
Early in April five agents arrived in Halifax who came to inspect 
the marsh lands of the Bay of Fundy and report the result of their 
observations to their friends in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The 
agents were Major Robert Denison, Jonathan Harris, Joseph Otis and 
Amos Fuller of Connecticut, and John Hicks of Rhode Island. They 
! Charles Morris. 
