entry into Maryland, which was so named, I believe, in Queen Mary's
time,[229] when it was discovered or began to be settled. It is a
large territory, but has as yet no fixed boundaries, except only on
the south where it is separated from Virginia by a straight line
running westerly from ----[230] to the river. All north of this line
is Maryland, and all south of it Virginia. On the east it is bounded
by New Netherland, but that line is undefined; and on the north and
west indefinitely by the Indians. It comprises four great provinces,
as ----. The principal rivers are on the east side of the bay of
----.[231]
[Footnote 229: Queen Henrietta Maria, consort of Charles I.]
[Footnote 230: On the east side of Chesapeake Bay the line of division
between Maryland and Virginia ran east from Watkins Point on the bay
shore to the Atlantic. On the west side the boundary was the Potomac.]
[Footnote 231: Chesapeake.]
Maryland is considered the most fertile portion of North America, and
it were to be wished that it was also the most healthy, though it is
more healthy than its neighbor, Virginia, which has to give passage by
water through the great bay of ----,[232] to Maryland. It is also very
rich in fish as well as in all kinds of water fowl. There are few
Indians in comparison with the extent of country. When the English
first discovered and settled Virginia and Maryland, they did great
[wrong] to these poor people, and almost exterminated them.[233]
[Footnote 232: Chesapeake.]
[Footnote 233: The travellers had no first-hand knowledge of the
subject, and their comment is without authentic value.]
To return to Augustine Hermans, he was sick when we arrived at his
house.[234] We found there the three Englishmen before mentioned, who
had left the house of Kasparus in the morning. They were about
proceeding further on their journey. We delivered to Augustine a
letter from his son Ephraim, and related to him how we had travelled
with him from the Manathans, and how he was, which rejoiced him.
Becoming thus acquainted he showed us every kindness he could in his
condition, as he was very miserable, both in soul and body. His
plantation was going much into decay, as well as his body, for want of
attention. There was not a Christian man, as they term it, to serve
him; nobody but negroes. All this was increased by a miserable, doubly
miserable wife;[235] but so miserable that I will not relate it here.
All his children have been compelled on her account to leave their
father's house. He spoke to us of his land, and said he would never
sell or hire it to Englishmen, but would sell it to us cheap, if we
were inclined to buy. But we satisfied ourselves and him by looking at
it then, hoping that we might see each other on our return. We were
directed to a place to sleep, but the screeching of the wild geese
and other wild fowl in the creek before the door, prevented us from
having a good sleep, though it answered.
[Footnote 234: "My father is and has been all this winter extreme
weakly." Ephraim Herrman to Secretary Matthias Nicolls, Newcastle,
January 17, 1680.]
[Footnote 235: A second wife, of whom little is otherwise known.]
_4th, Monday._ After breakfast we were set over this creek, or Bohemia
River, in a canoe, after Augustine had, as the head man of the place,
signed the passport which Mr. Moll, Ephraim and Aldrix had given us.
Our first address was to one Mr. van Waert,[236] who had arrived from
England the day before, and who gave us little news, except that a
certain skipper Jacob, who lived at the Manathans, had left England
some days before him, bound there. We were glad of this, thinking we
would receive some letters from Fatherland, as we had, when we were at
Newcastle, written to our hostess at New York, that in case the
skipper Jacob had letters for us, she should send them to the South
River. Towards evening we came to a Swede's, named Mouns,[237] where
we had to be put across a creek, after we had mistaken the road. We
spent the night with him, and were entirely welcome. He and his wife
and some of his children spoke good Dutch, and conversed with us about
various matters concerning the country.
[Footnote 236: Probably Captain Henry Ward, several times member of
assembly from Cecil County, who had a plantation in Sassafras Neck.]
[Footnote 237: Probably Mans Andersson. He and Hendrick Hendrickson,
mentioned below, are known as petitioners for naturalization in 1674.]
_5th, Tuesday._ We left after breakfast, and he took us upon the road
to go to Captain Frisby's.[238] Leaving Mr. Blacstoon's [Blackstone's]
plantation on the right hand of Frisby's, we came to the court house
standing on the Sassafrix [Sassafras] River, which is also an
ordinary. We requested to be taken over the river, as there is a ferry
here, which they did, and it cost us each an English shilling. We then
travelled along the river until we came to a small creek, which runs
very shallow over the strand into the river. Here we had to take off
our shoes and stockings in order to cross over, although it was
piercing cold. We continued some distance further, along the river, to
the Great Bay, when we came to another creek and called out to be
taken across, which was done. The road was shown us further on to Mr.
Howel's, where we had a letter of recommendation and credit to
deliver Captain Seybry,[239] who was not at home, but had gone to the
ships which had arrived. So we gave the letter to Mr. Howel, to hand
to Mr. Seybry. We slept here this night, and were welcome.
[Footnote 238: Captain James Frisby, member of the Maryland assembly
for Cecil County in 1678. George Fox held a notable meeting at his
house in 1672. The first court-house of Cecil County was erected on
the north side of Sassafras River, a short distance east of what is
still called Ordinary Point.]
[Footnote 239: Captain Nathan Sybrey was a member of assembly for
Cecil County in 1678. The Great Bay, above, means the Chesapeake.
"Howel's Point" is noted on Herrman's map, at the mouth of Sassafras
River.]
_6th, Wednesday._ This morning we crossed a creek, and were shown the
way to another plantation, where we would be set over still another.
To this plantation we soon came, but the people excused themselves
from taking us over, saying that their canoe was not at home, and sent
us to another plantation on the right. We crossed there and saw on
almost every tree one or two grape-vines, and that for a long distance
along the road until we reached the plantation of one Hendrick
Hendricksen, where no one was at home except a woman, who nevertheless
lent us a canoe with which we might not only cross over, but go a
considerable distance down the creek, trusting her canoe to us. We
arrived in this at the plantation of Mr. Hopkins, who was not at home.
Being fatigued, and not having yet breakfasted, we asked for something
to drink that clear water from, and afterwards for something to eat;
but we could obtain nothing except a piece of maize bread with which
we satisfied ourselves. The worst was, she would not show us the way,
which, however, we found ourselves. We arrived at noon at Salsberry's,
who also was not at home. They had all sailed down below to the ships.
But we found a good old woman who immediately put before us something
to eat, and gave us some exceedingly good cider to drink. We were,
therefore, somewhat strengthened. This plantation is one of the most
pleasantly situated I have seen, having upon the side of the great bay
a fine prospect, and a pretty view in the distance, as the sketch
shows.[240] We left here about three o'clock, and were taken across
the creek and put upon the road, and at evening came to the house of
one Richard Adams, an Englishman, who had a Dutch wife born at
Deventer. The husband was not at home, and she had almost forgotten
her Dutch. However, we were welcome, and we remained there for the
night, and rested reasonably well.
[Footnote 240: The sketch is not preserved. The place would seem to be
west of Newtown, Maryland, where Herrman's map indicates "Salsbury
Creek." Richard Adams was a petitioner to the Maryland assembly from
Cecil County in 1681.]
_7th, Thursday._ We left there after breakfast, and were put across a
creek which runs by the door, and shown the road to go to an English
plantation. The owner was not at home, but we first passed a small
plantation where an Amsterdamer was engaged in carpenter work, who
very willingly pointed out the road. We found at the Englishman's a
young man from Middelburgh,[241] who had been sold as a servant, but
had served out his time. He was in the last English war, had been
taken by a privateer and carried to Virginia, and there sold for four
years, which having expired, he thought of returning to Fatherland
next year. We were unacquainted with each other, but he was glad to
see one of his countrymen. He took us to the road, and we proceeded on
to a plantation where the people were in the woods working, to whom we
went to inquire the way. The master of the plantation came to meet us,
accompanied by his wife and a person who spoke high Dutch.[242] The
owner's name was Miller. We told him we wished to learn the road to
Mr. Hosier's. He was about to show us the way, but as this was far
around, his wife said he had better let us be taken over a creek which
ran in front of his plantation, and we would have a less distance to
go, whereupon he gave us directions that it should be so done. We
thanked him, and went to his plantation for the purpose of going over,
but we were not there soon enough, for there was a man gone over who
was now almost on the other side, who called out to us that he was not
coming back, because there was another canoe on this side where there
was a woman. This I immediately launched in the water, as we had
permission, and went over, and the woman took it back. We had here as
company the man who had crossed over before us, for a piece of the
way, and he directed us to another plantation, also with a creek in
front of it where we had to cross. There was no one here except some
women attending upon another sick woman. The man who had travelled
with us a part of the way, afterwards came up and again directed us,
but we came to a different plantation from what we intended. If we had
gone to right hand, we should have proceeded straight, for we should
then have found Mr. Commegys, a Dutchman, whom we were in search of
according to the address Mr. Moll had given us, and for whom we had
inquired.[243] We should have found him with many of his people
bringing slaughtered meat over the creek. The owner of the plantation
we had come to, had no canoe at home; but he assisted us by going with
us himself, where a son of Mr. Commegys, as he said, worked a
plantation, who, if he heard us call, would certainly come and take us
over. But when we came to the creek we saw all those people who had
carried the meat over in the boat, but this man did not know them, and
doubted whether they were Commegys's men. We arrived at last at
Cornelis's, the son of Commegys, and called out to him, and he brought
a canoe which relieved us, as it was close on to evening. We thanked
the person who had brought us, and stepped into the canoe. Cornelis,
who was an active young man, was pleased to meet Hollanders, although
he himself was born in this country. We found Mr. Commegys on the next
plantation, who bade us welcome, and after we had drunk some cider,
accompanied us with one of his company to Mr. Hosier's, who was a good
generous-hearted man, better than any Englishman we had met with in
this country. He had formerly had much business with Mr. Moll, but
their affairs in England running behindhand a little, they both came
and settled down here; and, therefore, Mr. Moll and he had a great
regard for each other. He showed us very particular attention,
although we were strangers. Something was immediately set before Mr.
Commegys and ourselves to eat, in which the wife manifested as much
kindness as the husband. This was not unacceptable, for we had eaten
nothing all day. They requested Mr. Commegys and us very urgently to
stay all night, but he desired to go home, although it was two or
three hours distant from there, and it already began to grow dark.
However, we left with him on foot, but he obtained a horse on the road
which enabled him to travel better than we could with our wearied
feet. We reached his house about eight o'clock, where he and his wife
bade us welcome. We were well entertained, and went easily to sleep,
having travelled during the day a great distance.
[Footnote 241: Where Danckaerts had lived.]
[Footnote 242: German.]
[Footnote 243: An act of assembly of 1671 naturalized Cornelius
Commegys the elder, Millementy [so in the act as printed, read
Willemtje] his wife, and his four children, Cornelius, Elizabeth,
William, and Hannah, the first born in Virginia, the younger three in
Maryland. He settled at Quaker Neck on the Chester River, in Kent
County, below Chestertown.]
_8th, Friday._ We advised this morning with Mr. Commegys as to
proceeding further down to Virginia, and crossing the bay, in
pursuance of the address which we had received from Mr. Moll, and our
recollection, to wit, that arriving at Mr. Commegys's we should then
consult him, and he would give us further information. In talking the
matter over with him, he said, he saw no probability of our being able
to accomplish this, and advised us against it, for several reasons.
First, the country below there was full of creeks and their branches,
more so than that we had passed over, and it was difficult to get
across them, as boats were not always to be obtained, and the people
were not very obliging. As to going by water, either down or across
the bay, there was not much navigating at this time of year, the
winter being so close at hand, and the worst of it would be to get
back again. To go by sea to the South River, or New York, there was
not much opportunity, and it was attended with great danger and
inconvenience. As to exploring the land, he assured us we had seen the
best; the rest of it was poor and covered with bushes, especially in
Virginia. It would cost us much at this time, and we would have to do
with a godless and very crafty people, who would be the more so
towards us, because we were strangers who could not speak their
language, and did not understand the customs of the country, and so
forth, all which we took into consideration. After breakfast a man
arrived with a letter from Mr. Miller, requesting Commegys to go with
him in his boat across the bay to the ships. Commegys not wishing to
go, answered the letter, and said to us in general terms something
about a man who wished to cross the bay in a boat, but he did not
express himself fully, and we also did not understand him well. We
supposed the man was at his plantation with a boat, and after waiting
awhile without perceiving anything of him, we asked him where the man
was with the boat. He said he was not there, but that it was Captain
Miller's boat which was going, and he lived about ten or twelve miles
off. We immediately resolved to go there, which we did, about noon,
after having breakfasted and dined together. Mr. Commegys was from
Vianen,[244] and had had a Dutch woman for a wife, who had taught her
children to speak the Dutch language; they therefore had a kind
disposition towards Hollanders. After her death he married an English
woman, and he had himself learned many of the English maxims, although
it was against his feelings; for we were sensible that he dared not
work for us with an open heart. He told us he would rather live at the
Cape of Good Hope than here. "How is that," said I, "when there is
such good land here?" "True," he replied, "but if you knew the people
here as well as I do, you would be able to understand why."
[Footnote 244: Vianen is in South Holland, near the borders of
Utrecht. The act of naturalization and the record of their marriage at
New Amsterdam in 1658 speak of him as born in Lexmont (Leksmond, a
village near Vianen) and his wife in Barneveld, a village near
Amersfoort.]
We departed from his house over the same road by which we had come,
thinking that if nothing more should result from this opportunity, we
would at least have advanced so far on our way back. We arrived at
about three o'clock at Mr. Hosier's,[245] who received us kindly, and
would have cheerfully kept us all night, but understanding our
intention, he not only let us go and showed us the road, but went with
us himself in order to facilitate our getting over the creek; but on
arriving at the next plantation on the creek, there was no canoe to
put us over, and he therefore took us to another, the same one where
we had found the Commegys, and where we now found his son, of whom I
have before spoken, who soon had his boat ready, when thanking Mr.
Hosier, and taking our leave of him, we crossed over. Young Commegys
showed us the road, which we followed to a creek, where we found a
canoe, but no person with it. We took ourselves over in it, and came
to the house where we left the sick woman before spoken of. There were
now some men at home whom we requested to show us the road, and the
same person who brought us here over the same road, accompanied us a
part of the way, and gave us directions how to proceed. We struck the
creek directly opposite Mr. Miller's plantation, as it began to get
dark, and on calling out were taken over. We inquired of Mr. Miller
whether he intended to cross the bay in his boat and when, and
whether he would take us with him. He said yes, but he did not know
whether he would leave the next day or not. He would start as soon as
the weather would permit, as he had some casks of tobacco to carry
over, with which we might help him; but he did not know how we would
manage on the other side, as he had to go further up the river from
there, and he saw no chance for us to go down the bay or to cross back
again. We finally concluded we would go with him, and remain on board
the ships until he came back to take us with him, he promising not to
leave there without coming for us. We also found here the person who
spoke high Dutch, and of whom we have before said a word. We were able
to converse with him, but my companion could do so the best.[246] He
resided on this plantation, and was a kind of proctor or advocate in
the courts. We passed the evening with him. We were well entertained
here, and had a good bed to sleep on, which was very agreeable.
[Footnote 245: Henry Hosier was a member of the assembly from Kent
County in 1679.]
[Footnote 246: Sluyter, though Dutch, came from the German town of
Wesel.]
_9th, Saturday._ We expected the trip would be made this morning, but
no mention was made of it, and we asked him at last whether it would
not be proceeded with. He said the weather was not fit, and that as
soon as it was suitable we would start. But about noon the wind
blowing very fresh from the west, which was straight ahead, we gave up
all hope of going to-day. Seeing that the same difficulty might exist
on Monday and the following days, as he said he would not go over on
Sunday, we determined to proceed, after we had dined, with our journey
back to Newcastle, which we did, excusing ourselves on the ground that
we could not wait so long, and that time pressed us. So we took our
leave and went to Richard Adams's as we had promised his wife when we
went on, to stop there on our return; but missing the way, or not
knowing it, we came to a plantation and house about three o'clock,
where there was neither man nor beast, and no one from whom we could
inquire the road. We chose the one we thought best, and walked on till
evening. We came to a plantation on the point of the creek where
Richard Adams lived on the opposite side, being now on the Great Bay
about four miles below where we had to be. We were strangers here, and
had no address to these people, who, nevertheless, showed us every
kindness and treated us well. They told us we had lost the way at the
empty house, by taking the road to the left instead of the right.
_10th, Sunday._ The son, who went out to shoot at daylight, put us on
the road which would lead us to the creek directly opposite Richard
Adams's house, taking us back to the empty plantation which we now
left on the right hand. We arrived at the place about eight o'clock,
and were taken over the creek by Richard Adams himself. He and his
wife were glad to see us, and bade us welcome. As it was Sunday, and
we had promised to write a letter to Holland for his wife, we remained
there this day, writing the letter after dinner, and having time also
to look around a little. These people were so delighted at the service
we were to do them in Holland, of posting a letter to Steenwyk,[247]
and sending an answer back to them, that they did not know what to do
for us. He gave us some French brandy to drink, which he had purchased
of the captains of the ships who had brought it from England; but as
it was an article prohibited on pain of forfeiture, it was not to be
bought here, and scarcely anything else, for he had made a useless
journey below, not being able to obtain shoes and stockings for his
little children who were bare-legged.
[Footnote 247: Steenwijk is in Overyssel.]
I have nowhere seen so many ducks together as were in the creek in
front of this house. The water was so black with them that it seemed
when you looked from the land below upon the water, as if it were a
mass of filth or turf, and when they flew up there was a rushing and
vibration of the air like a great storm coming through the trees, and
even like the rumbling of distant thunder, while the sky over the
whole creek was filled with them like a cloud, or as the starlings fly
at harvest time in Fatherland. There was a boy about twelve years old
who took aim at them from the shore, not being able to get within good
shooting distance of them, but nevertheless shot loosely before they
flew away, and hit only three or four, complained of his shot, as they
are accustomed to shoot from six to twelve and even eighteen and more
at one shot. After supper we ate some Maryland or Virginia oysters
which he had brought up with him. We found them good, but the Gouanes
oysters at New York are better.