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frofts begin. In the fpring, the fnow, in common, is gradually diffolved by the warm influences of the fun. In this way the earth is enriched and moistened, and fpring advances with furprifing quickness.

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Militia, population and character. ] There are upwards of 17,000 men upon the militia rolls of this statė. Thefe confift of two divifions, one on the weft, the other on the east fide of the mountain. In these two divifions are 7 brigades, which are made up of 21 regiments. From the number of militia, reckoning 5 for one, we may eftimate the number of inhabitants in the state at 85,000. Others, who reckon 6 for one, eftimate them at 100,000. The bulk of the inhabitants are emigrants from Connecticut and Maffachusetts, and their defcendants. Their is one fettlement of Scotch people, which are almoft the only foreigners in the ftate. As the characters, the manners, the cuftom, the laws, the policy, and the religion of the people in Vermont is not fufficient to fay they are New Englandmen. big 96 of son digu Curiofities.] In the Township of tinmouth, on the fide of a fmall hill, is a very curious cave...The chafm, at its entrance, is about four feet in circumference. Entering this you defcend 104 feet, and then opens a fpacious room 20 feet in breath and 100 feet in length. The angle of defcending is about 45 degrees. The roof of this cavern is of rock, through which the water is continually percolating. The stalactites which hang from the roof appear like icicles on the eves of the houfes, and are continually increafing in number and magnitude. The bottom and fides are daily incrufting with fpar, and other mineral fubftances. On the fides of this fubteraneous hall, are tables, chairs. benches, &c. which appear to have been artificially carved. This richly ornamented room, when illuminated with the candles of the guides, has an enchanting effect upon the eye of the spectator. If we might be indulged in affigning the general caufe of thefe aftonishing appearances, we fhould include from the va rious circumftances accompanying them, that the arife from water filtrating flowly through the incumbent ftrata; and taking up in its paffage a variety of mineral fubftances, and becoming thus faturated with metallic particles, gradually exuding on the furface of the caverns and fif fures, in a quieffcent ftate, the aqueous participles evaporate, and leave the mineral fubftances to unite according to their affinities.

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At the end of this cave is a circular hole, 15 feet deep, apparently hewn out, in a conical form, enlarging gradually as you defcend, in the form of a fugar loaf. At the bottom is a fpring of fresh water, in continual motion, like the boiling of a pot. Its depth has never been

founded.

Conflitution.] The inhabitants of Vermont, by their reprefentatives in convention, at Winfor, on the 25th of December, 1777, declared that the territory called Vermont, was, and of right ought to be a free and independant ftate; and for the purpofe of maintaining regular government in the fame, they made a folemn declaration of their rights, and ratified a conftitntion, of which the following is an abftract.

9 Their declaration, which makes a part of their conftitution, afferts that all men are born equally free with equal rights and ought to enjoy liberty of confcience-freedom of the prefs trial by jury-power to form new states in vacant countries, and to regulate their own internal

mento police

police that all elections ought to be free-that all power is originally in the people that government ought to be instituted for the common benefit of the community-and that the community have a right to reform or abolish government that every member of fociety hath a right to protection of life, liberty and property-and in return is bound to contribute his proportion of the expenfe of that protection, and yield his perfonal fervice when neceffary-that he fhall not be obliged to give evidence against himself-that the people have a right to bear arms-but no ftanding armies fhall be maintained in time of peace-that the people have a right to hold themselves, their houfes, papers, and poffeffions free from fearch or seizure-and therefore warrants without oaths first made, affording fufficient foundation for them, are contrary to that right and ought not to be granted-that no perfon fhall be liable to be tranfported out of this ftate for trial for any offence committed within this ftate, &c.

By the frame of government, the fupreme legiflative power is vested in a house of reprefentatives of the freemen of the state of Vermont, to be chofen annually by the freemen on the firft Tuesday in September, and to meet the fecond Thursday of the fucceeding October-this body is vefted with all the powers neceffary for the legislature of a free ftatetwo thirds of the whole number of reprefentatives elected make a quo

rum.

Eeach inhabited town throughout the state, has a right to fend one representative to the affembly.

The fupreme executive power is vefted in a governor, Heutenant-governor, and twelve counsellors to be chofen annually in the fame manner, and vefted with the fame powers as in Connecticut.

Every perfon of the age of 21 years, who has refided in the state one whole year next before the election of the reprefentatives, and is of a quiet, peaceable behaviour, and will bind himself by his oath, to do what he fhall in confcience judge to be moft conducive to the beft good of the ftate fhall be entitled to all the privileges of a freeman of this state.

Each member of the house of reprefentatives before he takes his feat, most declare his belief in one God-in future rewards and punishments, and in the divinity of the fcriptures of the Old and New Testament, and muft profefs the proteftant religion.

Courts of juftice are to be established in every country throughout the state.

The fupreme court, and the feveral courts of common pleas of this ftate, befides the powers ufually exercifed by fuch courts, have the powers of a court of chancery, fo far as relates to perpetuating teftimony obtaining evidence from places not within the state, and the care of the perfons and estates of those who are non compotes mentis, &c. All profecutions are to be commenced in the name and by the authority of the freemen of the state of Vermont. The legiflature are to regulate entails fo as to prevent perpetuities.

All field and staff officers, and commiffioned officers of the army, and all general officers of the militia, fhall be chofen by the general affembly and be commiffioned by the governor.

Every feventh year, beginning with the year 1785, thirteen perfons (none of whom are to be of the council or affembly) fhall be chofen by the freemen, and to be called the council of cenfors,' whole duty it fhail be to enquire whether the conftitution has been preferved inviolate in every part-whether the ligislative and executive powers have been properly exercised taxes juftly laid and collected the public monies rightly difpofed of-and the laws duly executed.-For thefe purposes, they shall have power to fend for perfons, papers, &c.-to pafs public cenfures-to order impeachments, and to recommend the repeal of all laws enacted contrary to the principles of the conftitution. They are to be vefted with thefe powers for one year only, after the day of their election.

The council of cenfors, when neceffary, may call a convention to meet within two years after their fitting-to alter the conftitutiou-the propofed alterations to be published at least fix months before the election of delegates to fuch convention.

Chief Town.] BENNINGTON is the principal town in Vermont. It is fituated in the fouth-weft corner of the late near the foot of the Green Mountain. Its public buildings are a church for Congregationalists, a court-house and gaol. It has a number of elegant houfes, and is a flourishing town. Near the center of the town is Mount Anthony, which rifes very high in the form of a fugar-loaf. The affembly commonly hold their feffions at Windfor.

For the new difcoveries on the north-weft coaft of America, fee the Voyages of Captains Portlock and Dixon.

+++ For the difcoveries in the South Seas, fee the Hiftory of New Holland, with an introductory Preface on Banishment, by the Right Hon. Lord Aukland.

For the British fettlements in New South Wales, fee Governor Phillip's Voyage to Botany Bay, which includes several new discoveries. $15 Alfo Fleurieu's Difcoveries of the French in the South Sea.

British American Dominions.

NEW

BRITAIN.

NDER this name is comprehended all the tracts of country, which lies north of Canada, commonly called the Efkimaux country, including Lobrador, now North and South Wales; faid to be 850 miles long, and 750 broad.

UNies this named comprehenly country, it

To fpeak generally, this is a mountainous, frozen, barren country, abounding with lakes, rivers and bays, that furnish plenty of fish. The fur of the various animals is clofe, foft and warm. The fishery and the fur trade are the only things which render this country valuable. This trade is in the hands of a company of nine or ten perfons, who received a charter in 1670, and whose profits are not inconfiderable. One year they carried from Great-Britain, articles to the amount of £16,060; and in return, carried furs and fish to the amount of .29,380.

The

The country is very thinly inhabited, by a people resembling the Lap→ landers, and the other nations in the north-western part of Europe, from whence their ancestors probably migrated.

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Between

561° and 81° Weft Longitude from London. 45 and 52° North Latitude. >

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Boundaries of St. Lawrence; fouth, by Nova-Scotia and the United

OUNDED north, by New-Britain; eaft, by the Bay

tates; weft, by unknown lands.

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Rivers.] The principal are, the Outtauais, St. John's Seguina, Defprairis and Trois Rivieres, which are large, bold and deep, and are all fwallowed up by the river St. Lawrence, which falls into the ocean at Cape Rofieres, by a mouth ninety miles broad.

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Chief Towns.] QUEBEC is the capital of Canada. It is built on the bank of St. Lawrence river, on a rock, in two divifions, 320 miles from the fea, and contained in 1784, 6,472 inhabitants. One hundred and feventy miles from Quebec, as you afcend the St. Lawrence, stands MONTREAL, on a beautiful illand in the river. It is nearly as large as Quebec. 1984, a cenfus of the inhabitants of the province of

Population. In order of General Haldimand, when they amount

Quebec was taken, by

ed to 113,012 English and French, exclufive of the Loyalists, who have lately fettled in the upper parts of the province, to the number, it is said, of 10,000.

Conftitution.] The conftitution of the province is founded on the 14th of George the IIId, called the Quebec Bill. By this bill the legislative dpower is vefted in the governor and legiflative council. The council is compofed of the lieutenant-governor, chief juftice and fecretary for the time being, and twenty other members, nearly one half of whom are French. They are appointed by the crown, and received. 100 a year as a falary. Their power extends to almost all the neceffary purposes of government, except the levying of taxes, wherein the faid ftatute inhibits, whereby Great-Britain pays the falaries to the counsellors, and all the expences of the civil lift of the province, which amount to £25,000 per annum, exelufive of the governor-general's falarys

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Trade.] The amount of the exports from the province of Quebec in the year 1786, was 343,262: 19: 6. The amount of imports in the fame year was 325,116. The exports confifted of wheat, flour, bifSt Suit, flax-feed, lumber of various kinds, fish, pot-afh, coil, ginfeng and

other

other medicinal roots, but principally of furs and peltries, to the amount of £.285,977. The imports confifted of rum, brandy, molaffes, coffee, fugar, wines, tobacco, falt, chocolate, provifions for the troops and dry goods.

Hiftory. This country was discovered by the English, as early as about 1497, and fettled by the French in 1608, who kept poffeffion of it, till 1763, when, after a long and bloody war, it fell into the hands of the British, to whom it has ever fince belonged.

NOVA SCOTLA

Miles

Length 350 Between $420 and 49° North Latitude.
Breadth 250S

160° and 67° Weft Longitude from London.

Boundaries.] BOUNDED weft, by the eastern boundary of the United

States; north, by the river St. Lawrence; east and fouth, by the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. It has about 90 leagues of fea coaft, on the Atlantic Ocean. In 1784, this province was divided into two governments. One of the governments is called New Brunswick, and lies bordering on the United States.

Rivers and Bays.] The rivers Rifgouche and Nipifiguit run from weft to east, and fall into the Bay of St. Lawrence. St. John's Paffamagnadi, and St. Croix, run from north to fouth into the Bay of Fundy, or the fea. Nova Scotia is indented with numerous bays, which afford many commodious, bold harbours. The bay of Fundy is the largest of the bays, and extends 50 leagues into the country. Here the ebb and flow of the tide is from 45 to 60 feet.

Climate, Soil, Productions and Trade.] During a great part of the year the atmosphere is clouded with thick fog, which renders it unhealthy for the inhabitants; and four or five months it is intenfely cold. A great part of this country lies in foreft, and the foil, in moft parts, is thin and barren. On the banks of the rivers, and fome other parts, the foil is good; many of the bays, and falt water rivers, and fome parts of the fea coaft, are bordered with tracts of falt marsh. The inhabitants do not raise provifion enough for home confumption. They fubfift principally by the 1 lumber trade, which is fupplied by their forefts; and by the fishery, which is very profitable. The fishery on the fea coaft of the island of Cape Bre ton, in the year 1743, while in poffeffion of the French, yielded 1,149,000 quintals of dry fifh, and 3,900,000 quintals of mud fifh; the value of both, including 3116 tons of train oil, was eftimated at £.926,577:10 fterling. Five hundred and fixty-four fhips, befides fhallops, and 27,000 feamen were employed in this trade.

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Chief Towns.] HALIFAX is the capital of Nova Scotia, and ftands on Chebucto Bay. bas a good harbour, fufficiently large and fafe to

fhelter

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