N O V A S C O T I A. ^ 47 



ancTnot above" a mile and half broad in the broadeft part. In the middle is a 

 narrow pond of fea-water, running about half the length, which is filled every 

 tide from the fea's rufhing through a little gut on the north fide. This pond con- 

 tains multitudes of feals, fome flat fifh, eels, &c. and has about twelve feet depth 

 at low-water. The entrance is often choalced with fand by a ft-rong nordi wind, 

 and cleared by the next fouthern blaft. This ifland lies on a vaft find bank, on 

 which the water gradually deepens to fifty fathoms. At each end is a bar ; the 

 water breaks on them often maft high : and there is, befides, a furf beating conti— 

 nually on the fhore, to be heard in calm weather feveral leagues. No boats can 

 approach the ifland without rifque. Landing is pra£ticable on the north fhore 

 only, and that only in calm weather. The north bar breaks, in bad weather,, 

 (even or eight leagues from the fhore ; and thoufands of fhips have been lofl about 

 this place. M. De Barres * was two years in furveying this fatal tradl, and his 

 fervices have been lately rewarded by the government of the ifles of Si, "John and-^ 

 Cape Breton. The whole ifle confifts of fine white fand mixed with white tranfpa- 

 rent flones, but coarfer than in the adjacent foundings : the face is much broken, 

 and hove up into little hills, knobs, and clifFs, wildly heaped together. In the- 

 hollows are ponds of frefh water, frequented at times by variety of fowls. On the 

 fkirts grow juniper and blue berries in their feafon, and cranberries all the year. 

 Here are no trees, but plenty of beach grafs, wild peafe, &c. which ferve to fup^ 

 port the horfes, cows, and hogs, which run about in a ftate of nature. Wrecks 

 and drift-wood afford fewel. The whole ifle has a ftrange appearance; for the fand- 

 hills have a conoid fliape, are milk white, and fome of them are a hundred and 

 forty-fix feet above the level of the fea. 



I quit this fingular fpot to return to Cape Sable, juft beyond which commences bay. OF FUNDV* 

 the great bay of Fundy, with infinite variety of pi£lurefque and fublime fcenery. 

 The bay divides at the bottom into two others, the bay of Mines, and that of 

 Ch'igneiio ; and, like the reft of the coafl of this province, has numbers of fine 

 harbours. Far from the fhore of every part oi Nova Scotia extends a fkirt of fand, 

 with deep water, and fine anchorage ;. but the harbours are moft fecure retreats. 

 Grand Manan ifle is very lofty, and lies in the mouth of the bay of Fundy, nearer grand and 

 to the weftern fide. The bay of St. Alary, which lies on the eaftern, is guarded petit passage. 

 by an extent of land and iflands ; the entrances between two of them, diilinguifhed 

 by the name of the Grand and Petit Paff'age, are particularly noble, very lofty,- 

 with vafl mural fronts, and their tops finely "cloathed with trees. 



* To this gentleman's labors we owe the accurate charts of thefe and fome other parts of North Ame- 

 rica, the moll elegant and magnificent work of its kind extant. 



The 



