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Full text: INTRODUCTION the NORTHWEST gives the whole a very beautiful and attractive air. Even at this season when Nature begins to be clad in sober livery, it was grateful and pleasing; but when the imagination pictured it as dressed in the gay and livelier mantle of summer, it became picturesque, attractive and even gladdening. ..." Those words were written more than 73 years after the establishment of the township of Lunenburg and a great many more years after the first exploration of the region. The place was earlier called Merliguesche or Malagash, perhaps derived from the Micmac word meaning "milky bay," although the Micmacs also called this place "Aseedik," or "clamland." Whatever the origin of the earlier name, "Mireliguesche" appears in the articles of agreement signed by Sir William Alexander, the younger, and Claude de La Tour at Charlesfort, Port Royal, in 1629, and that name con- tinued to be used, with occasional variations in spelling, until 1753. Nicolas Denys, in Description Geographique et Historique des Costes de UAmerique Septentrionale, published in 1672, mentions "Mirligaiche"; De Meulles used "Merligash" in 1686; Gargas writes it as "Merligueih" in 1687-8; and Villebon as "Mirliguesche" in 1699. Goodness of soil and convenience for fishing were two attributes ob- vious to early visitors. As time passed, a few Acadian settlers established themselves there. In 1686, according to the census of that year, there were five persons at "Merligash." In 1745 there were reported to be eight settlers at "Merliguesche." In 1749, when Governor Cornwallis put in there before reaching Chebucto to found Halifax, there was still a small settlement there; but by 1753 only one family remained, that of an Indian or half-breed, "Old Labrador." There were then reported to be between 300 and 400 acres of cleared land at this place as a result of the former settlement. When the British authorities in London decided to make Nova Scotia British in fact as well as in name, and steps were taken to found Halifax, consideration was given to encouraging foreign Protestants to settle in Nova Scotia. Between 1749 and 1752 more than 2,700 foreign Protestants were induced to come to Nova Scotia, and they remained in the town of Halifax until circumstances were propitious and security was relatively assured for their transfer to another part of the Province. Most of these people came from the small states of Southwestern Germany, Montbeliard, and Switzerland, with smaller numbers from Northern Germany and the Netherlands. Eventually the authorities at Halifax, after due considera- tion of such features as the convenience of the harbour, the relative ease in picketing a peninsula of 6,000 acres, and the availability of cleared land, decided to settle more than 1600 of the foreign Protestants in a new town- ship at Merliguesche or Merligash. The new township was named Lunen- burg, presumably in honour of the monarch, who was also Duke of Braunschweig-Luneburg (Brunswick-Lunenburg), and probably by Gov- ernor Hopson.