Select passages from the diary and letters of the late John Blackader, Esq.

Xll ACCOUNT OF COL. BLACKADER's
the nearefl reprefentative alive of that family,
they removed him, and he was carried to the
guard-houfe. In the afternoon the Council fat ;
he was brought up, and continued among the fol-
tliers in the outer room from three till fix o'clock,
but was not called before the Council, although,
without hearing, they fentenced him to be fent to
the Bafs. This barren rock, on the coaft of Eafl
of Nova Scotia, the fourth on the roll, by patent dated
the iSth July 1616. This title was inherent in Mr Black-
ader, though not affumed by him, nor fince that by any
of his furviving defcendents. His maternal great-grand-
father was Mr (or, as he is ftiled by fome, Sir) Robert
Pont, one of the Lords of Seffion, afterwards Minifter of
St Cuthbtrts, near Edinburgh, an eminent Reformer,
and Moderator of the General Affembly 1595. He ap-
pears to have been a man of abilities, particularly noticed
by James VI. and one of the firft who fuggefted the
union of the two kingdoms, in a book upon this fubject,
De Unione Britannia, Edin. 1604. He was the fon of
John Pont, or du Pont, an illuftnous Venetian who was
banifhed from Venice on account of the proftflion of the
reformed religion, and having taken refuge-in France, he
came to Scotland among the attendants of Mary of Guife,
Queen of James V- Timothy Pont, the fon of Robert
Pont, was an eminent Mathematician, the fiift who ac-
tually furveyed the counties and ii1?s of Scotland, or who
projected a Scots Atlas. His maps are difiinguifhed by
their fidelity and exaclnefs — See Sir David Dalrymple's-
Catalogue of the Lords 0/ Seffion, notes, p.p. Calderwocd's
Bijlory, pajjim. Dr Robertfou's Hijlory of Scotland, 4X0
edit. vol. ii. p. 93. And Bilhop Nicolfon's Scottijb Hi/la.
rical Library, 8vo edit. pp. 17. 74. 285. together with a Me.
morandum in Mr Blackader s «wn writing.