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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
J] 
by an early frost. In consequence the Government lent them fourteen 
hundred bushels of corn, to be repaid when demanded. They raised 
potatoes and other roots sufficient for their use, and were able to cut 
sufficient hay for their cattle. The next spring a considerable addition 
was made to the settlements by the arrival of a number of McNutt’s 
Irish settlers, who had spent the winter in Halifax. In October, 1763, 
nearly two years later, Mr. Morris submitted a second report, of the 
condition of the townships, from which the following extract is taken :— 
“Within the Basin of Minas, on that Branch of it called Cobequid 
Basin, are the two townships of Truro and Onslow. Onslow has about 
fifty families. These are the most Indigent as well as most Indolent 
people in the colony. Several families suffered severely last winter 
and some were famished. If they are not relieved this winter there 
will be great danger of their starving or quitting the colony. They 
have but a small proportion of stock, compared with the other Inhabi- 
tants of the Province, and there are very few people of any substance 
among them—500 bushels of corn will be seare sufficient to keep them 
from starving. If 100 bushels of wheat for seed were sent them early 
in the Spring, it would in a great measure alter their circumstances. 
Truro has about sixty families. These are Irish Protestants, mostly 
from New England,’ a very industrious set of people; have large stocks, 
and tho’ they have been settled but two years, will this year raise grain 
sufficient for their support, except a very few families. None of these 
settlers have as yet any Grants of their land. About fifteen settlers, 
Protestants from Ireland, are settled on the north side of Cobequid Basin. 
These are industrious and doing extremely well considering they had 
neither money nor stock. Some little assistance they will want from 
Government. Justices have been appointed and Militia settled in these 
Townships.” 
Charles Morris, being himself a New England man, understood the 
temper of the immigrants who came from that quarter, and his services 
were most valuable in promoting their settlements. In the report 
from which we have just quoted he makes the following important 
statement: “Upon application of the settlers from New England for 
Townships to General Lawrence, among other promises to induce them 
to come this was not the least prevalent, that they should be entitled to 
the same Priviledges they enjoyed in the other colonies, and in par- 
ticular that of being constructed into Townships and having officers 
to regulate their own affairs, this would be very essential to establish 
peace and good order among them and to promote their welfare. This 
power might be confirmed by Act of Assembly.” 
! Many of these settlers came from Londonderry, New Hampshire. That place 
was settled by immigrants from Londonderry, Ireland, about 1718. Alexander 
McNutt knew these people very well and no doubt was largely instrumental in their 
coming to Nova Scotia. Their descendants in Colchester County are numerous. 
See Historical Sketch of Colchester County by Thomas Miller, p. 314. 
