of plants in blossom: they were, a Gentiana, two species of Aster, the
common Golden Rod, or Solidago Virga aurea, a species of Hieracium, the
yellow wood Sorrel, or Oxalis corniculata, the Fox Gloves, or Digitalis
purpurea, the Hamamelis Virginiana, or Witch Hazel, our common
Millefoil, or Achillæa Millefolium, and our Dandelion, or Leontodon
Taraxacum. All other plants had for this year laid aside their gay
colours. Several trees, especially those which were to flower early in
spring, had already formed such large buds, that on opening them all
the parts of fructification, such as Calyx, Corolla, Stamina and
Pistillum were plainly distinguishable. It was therefore easy to
determine the genus to which such trees belonged. Such were the red
maple, or Acer rubrum, and the Laurus æstivalis, a species of bay. Thus
nature prepared to bring forth flowers, with the first mild weather in
the next year. The buds were at present quite hard, and all their parts
pressed close together, that the cold might by all means be excluded.
The black Walnut trees had for the greatest part dropt their leaves,
and many of them were entirely without them. The walnuts themselves
were already fallen off. The green peel which enclosed them, if
frequently handled, would yield a black colour, which could not be got
off the fingers in two or three weeks time, though the hands were
washed ever so much.
The Cornus florida was called Dogwood by the English, and grew
abundantly in the woods. It looks beautiful when it is adorned with its
numerous great white flowers in spring. The wood is very hard, and is
therefore made use of for weaver’s spools, joiner’s planes, wedges, &c.
When the cattle fall down in spring for want of strength, the people
tie a branch of this tree on their neck, thinking it will help them.
October the 19th. The Tulip tree grows every where in the woods of this
country. The botanists call it Liriodendron tulipifera, because its
flowers both in respect to their size, and in respect to their exterior
form, and even in some measure with regard to their colour, resemble
tulips. The Swedes called it Canoe tree, for both the Indians and the
Europeans often make their canoes of the stem of this tree. The
Englishmen in Pensylvania give it the name of Poplar. It is reckoned a
tree which grows to the greatest height and thickness of any in North
America, and which vies in that point with our greatest European trees.
The white oak and the fir in North America, however are little inferior
to it. It cannot therefore but be very agreeable to see in spring, at
the end of May (when it is in blossom) one of the greatest trees
covered for a fortnight together with flowers, which with regard to
their shape, size, and partly colour are like tulips, the leaves have
likewise something peculiar, the English therefore in some places call
the tree the old woman’s smock, because their imagination finds
something like it below the leaves.
Its wood is here made use of for canoes, boards, planks, bowls, dishes,
spoons, door posts, and all sorts of joiners work. I have seen a barn
of a considerable size whose walls, and roof were made of a single tree
of this kind, split into boards. Some joiners reckoned this wood better
than oak, because this latter frequently is warped, which the other
never does, but works very easy; others again valued it very little. It
is certain, that it contracts so much in hot weather, as to occasion
great cracks in the boards, and in wet weather it swells so as to be
near bursting, and the people hardly know of a wood in these parts
which varies so much in contracting and expanding itself. The joiners
however make much use of it in their work, they say there are two
species of it; but they are merely two varieties, one of which in time
turns yellow within, the other is white, the former is said to have a
looser texture. The bark (like Russia glass) is divisible into very
thin leaves, which are very tough like bast, though I have never seen
it employed as such. The leaves when crushed and applied to the
forehead are said to be a remedy against the head ach. When horses are
plagued with worms, the bark is pounded, and given them quite dry. Many
people believe its roots to be as efficacious against the fever as the
jesuits bark. The trees grow in all sorts of dry soil, both on high and
low grounds, but too wet a soil will not agree with them.
October the 20th. The Beaver tree is to be met with in several parts of
Pensylvania and New Jersey, in a poor swampy soil, or on wet meadows.
Dr. Linnæus calls it Magnolia glauca; both the Swedes and English call
it Beaver tree, because the root of this tree is the dainty of beavers,
which are caught by its means, however the Swedes sometimes gave it a
different name, and the English as improperly called it Swamp
Sassafras, and White Laurel. The trees of this kind dropt their leaves
early in autumn, though some of the young trees kept them all the
winter. I have seldom found the beaver tree to the north of
Pensylvania, where it begins to flower about the end of May. The scent
of its blossoms is excellent, for by it you can discover within three
quarters of an English mile, whether these little trees stand in the
neighbourhood, provided the wind be not against it. For the whole air
is filled with this sweet and pleasant scent. It is beyond description
agreeable to travel in the woods about that time, especially towards
night. They retain their flowers for three weeks and even longer,
according to the quality of the soil on which the trees stand; and
during the whole time of their being in blossom, they spread their
odoriferous exhalations. The berries likewise look very fine when they
are ripe, for they have a rich red colour, and hang in bunches on
slender stalks. The cough, and other pectoral diseases are cured by
putting the berries into rum or brandy, of which a draught every
morning may be taken; the virtues of this remedy were universally
extolled, and even praised for their salutary effects in consumptions.
The bark being put into brandy, or boiled in any other liquor, is said
not only to ease pectoral diseases, but likewise to be of some service
against all internal pains and heat; and it was thought that a
decoction of it could stop the dysentery. Persons who had caught cold,
boiled the branches of the beaver tree in water, and drank it to their
great relief. A Swede, called Lars Lack, gave the following account of
a cure effected by this tree: One of his relations, an old man, had an
open sore in his leg, which would not heal up again, though he had had
much advice and used many remedies. An Indian at last effected the cure
in the following manner. He burnt some of this wood to charcoal, which
he reduced to powder, mixed with the fresh fat of pork, and rubbed the
open places several times. This dried up the holes, which before were
continually open, and the legs of the old man were quite sound to his
death. The wood is likewise made use of for joiner’s planes.
October the 22d. Upon trial it has been found that the following
animals and birds, which are wild in the woods of North America, can be
made nearly as tractable as domestic animals.
The wild Cows and Oxen, of which several people of distinction have got
young calves from these wild cows, which are to be met with in
Carolina, and other provinces to the south of Pensylvania, and brought
them up among the tame cattle; when grown up, they were perfectly tame,
but at the same time very unruly, so that there was no enclosure strong
enough to resist them, if they had a mind to break through it; for as
they possess a great strength in their neck, it was easy for them to
overthrow the pales with their horns, and to get into the corn-fields;
and as soon as they had made a road, all the tame cattle followed them;
they likewise copulated with the latter, and by that means generated as
it were a new breed. This American species of oxen is Linnæus’s Bos
Bison, β.
American Deer, can likewise be tamed; and I have seen them tame myself
in different places. A farmer in New Jersey had one in his possession,
which he had caught when it was very young; and at present it was so
tame, that in the day time it run into the wood for its food, and
towards night it returned home, and frequently brought a wild deer out
of the wood, giving its master an opportunity to shoot it. Several
people have therefore tamed young deer, and make use of them for
hunting wild deer, or for decoying them home, especially in the time of
their rutting.
Beavers have been so tamed that they have gone on fishing, and brought
home what they had caught to their masters. This often is the case with
Otters, of which I have seen some, which were as tame as dogs, and
followed their masters wherever they went; if he went out in a boat,
the otter went with him, jumped into the water, and after a while came
up with a fish. The Opossum, can likewise be tamed, so as to follow
people like a dog.
The Raccoon which we (Swedes) call Siupp, can in time be made so tame
as to run about the streets like a domestic animal; but it is
impossible to make it leave off its habit of stealing. In the dark it
creeps to the poultry, and kills in one night a whole flock. Sugar and
other sweet things must be carefully hidden from it, for if the chests
and boxes are not always locked up, it gets into them, eats the sugar,
and licks up the treacle with its paws: the ladies therefore have every
day some complaint against it, and for this reason many people rather
forbear the diversion which this ape-like animal affords.
The grey and flying Squirrels are so tamed by the boys, that they sit
on their shoulders, and follow them every where.
The Turkey Cocks and Hens run about in the woods of this country, and
differ in nothing from our tame ones, except in their superior size,
and redder, though more palatable flesh. When their eggs are found in
the wood, and put under tame Turkey hens, the young ones become tame;
however when they grow up, it sometimes happens that they fly away;
their wings are therefore commonly clipped, especially when young. But
the tamed turkeys are commonly much more irascible, than those which
are naturally tame. The Indians likewise employ themselves in taming
them and keeping them near their huts.
Wild Geese have likewise been tamed in the following manner. When the
wild geese first come hither in spring, and stop a little while (for
they do not breed in Pensylvania) the people try to shoot them in the
wing, which however is generally mere chance. They then row to the
place where the wild goose fell, catch it, and keep it for some time at
home, by this means many of them have been made so tame, that when they
were let out in the morning, they returned in the evening, but to be
more sure of them, their wings are commonly clipped. I have seen wild
geese of this kind, which the owner assured me, that he had kept for
more than twelve years; but though he kept eight of them, yet he never
had the pleasure to see them copulate with the tame ones, or lay eggs.
Partridges, which are here in abundance, may likewise be so far tamed,
as to run about all day with the poultry, and to come along with them
to be fed when they are called. In the same manner I have seen wild
Pigeons, which were made so tame as to fly out and return again. In
some winters there are immense quantities of wild pigeons in
Pensylvania.
October the 24th. Of all the rare birds of North America, the Humming
bird is the most admirable, or at least most worthy of peculiar
attention. Several reasons induce me to believe that few parts of the
world can produce its equal. Dr. Linnæus calls it Trochilus Colubris.
The Swedes and some Englishmen call it the King’s bird, but the name of
Humming bird is more common. Catesby in his Natural History of
Carolina, Vol. i. page 65, tab. 65. has drawn it, in its natural size,
with its proper colours, and added a description of it. [34] In size it
is not much bigger than a large humble bee, and is therefore the least
of all birds, [35] or it is much if there is a lesser species in the
world. Its plumage is most beautifully coloured, most of its feathers
being green, some grey, and others forming a shining red ring round its
neck; the tail glows with fine feathers, changing from green into a
brass colour. These birds come here in spring about the time when it
begins to grow very warm, and make their nests in summer, but towards
autumn they retreat again into the more southern countries of America.
They subsist barely upon the nectar, or sweet juice of flowers
contained in that part, which botanists call the nectarium, and which
they suck up with their long bills. Of all the flowers, they like those
most, which have a long tube, and I have observed that they have
fluttered chiefly about the Impatiens Noli tangere, and the Monarda
with crimson flowers. An inhabitant of the country is sure to have a
number of these beautiful and agreeable little birds before his window
all the summer long, if he takes care to plant a bed with all sorts of
fine flowers under them. It is indeed a diverting spectacle to see
these little active creatures flying about the flowers like bees, and
sucking their juices with their long and narrow bills. The flowers of
the above-mentioned Monarda grow verticillated, that is, at different
distances they surround the stalk, as the flowers of our mint (Mentha)
bastard hemp (Galeopsis) mother-wort (Leonurus) and dead nettle
(Lamium). It is therefore diverting to see them putting their bills
into every flower in the circle. As soon as they have sucked the juice
of one flower, they flutter to the next. One that has not seen them
would hardly believe in how short a space of time they have had their
tongues in all the flowers of a plant, which when large and with a long
tube, the little bird by putting its head into them, looks as if it
crept with half its body into them.
During their sucking the juice out of the flowers they never settle on
it, but flutter continually like bees, bend their feet backwards, and
move their wings so quick, that they are hardly visible. During this
fluttering they make a humming like bees, or like that which is
occasioned by the turning of a little wheel. After they have thus,
without resting, fluttered for a while, they fly to a neighbouring tree
or post, and resume their vigour again. They then return to their
humming and sucking. They are not very shy, and I in company with
several other people, have not been full two yards from the place where
they fluttered about and sucked the flowers; and though we spoke and
moved, yet they were no ways disturbed; but on going towards them, they
would fly off with the swiftness of an arrow. When several of them were
on the same bed, there was always a violent combat between them, in
meeting each other at the same flower (for envy was likewise
predominant amongst these little creatures) and they attacked with such
impetuosity, that it would seem as if the strongest would pierce its
antagonist through and through, with its long bill. During the fight,
they seem to stand in the air, keeping themselves up, by the incredibly
swift motion of their wings. When the windows towards the garden are
open, they pursue each other into the rooms, fight a little, and
flutter away again. Sometimes they come to a flower which is withering,
and has no more juice in it; they then in a fit of anger pluck it off,
and throw it on the ground, that it may not mislead them for the
future. If a garden contains a great number of these little birds, they
are seen to pluck off the flowers in such quantities, that the ground
is quite covered with them, and it seems as if this proceeded from a
motion of envy.
Commonly you hear no other sound than their humming, but when they fly
against each other in the air, they make a chirping noise like a
sparrow or chicken. I have sometimes walked with several other people
in small gardens, and these birds have on all sides fluttered about us,
without appearing very shy. They are so small that one would easily
mistake them for great humming-bees or butterflies, and their flight
resembles that of the former, and is incredibly swift. They have never
been observed to feed on insects or fruit; the nectar of flowers, seems
therefore to be their only food. Several people have caught some
humming birds on account of their singular beauty, and have put them
into cages, where they died for want of a proper food. However Mr.
Bartram has kept a couple of them for several weeks together, by
feeding them with water in which sugar had been dissolved, and I am of
opinion that it would not be difficult to keep them all winter in a
hot-house.
The humming bird always builds its nest in the middle of a branch of a
tree, and it is so small, that it cannot be seen from the ground, but
he who intends to see it must get up to the branch. For this reason it
is looked upon as a great rarity if a nest is accidentally found,
especially as the trees in summer have so thick a foliage. The nest is
likewise the least of all; that which is in my possession is quite
round, and consists in the inside of a brownish and quite soft down,
which seems to have been collected from the leaves of the great mullein
or Verbascum Thapsus, which are often found covered with a soft wool of
this colour, and the plant is plentiful here. The outside of the nest
has a coating of green moss, such as is common on old pales or
enclosures and on trees; the inner diameter of the nest is hardly a
geometrical inch at the top, and its depth half an inch. It is however
known that the humming birds make their nests likewise of flax, hemp,
moss, hair and other such soft materials; they are said to lay two
eggs, each of the size of a pea.
October the 25th. I employed this day and the next in packing up all
the seeds gathered this autumn, for I had an opportunity of sending
them to England by the ships which sailed about this time. From England
they were forwarded to Sweden.
October the 27th. In the morning I set out on a little journey to New
York, in company with Mr. Peter Cock, with a view to see the country,
and to enquire into the safest road, which I could take in going to
Canada, through the desart or uninhabited country between it and the
English provinces.
That part where we travelled at present was pretty well inhabited on
both sides of the road, by Englishmen, Germans and other Europeans.
Plains and hills of different dimensions were seen alternately,
mountains and stones, I never saw, excepting a few pebbles. Near almost
every farm was a great orchard with peach and apple trees, some of
which were yet loaded with fruit.
The enclosures were in some parts low enough, for the cattle to leap
over them with ease; to prevent this the hogs had a triangular wooden
yoke: this custom was as I have already observed, common over all the
English plantations. To the horses neck was fastened a piece of wood,
which at the lower end had a tooth or hook, fastening in the enclosure,
and stopping the horse, just when it lifted its fore feet to leap over;
but I know not whether this be a good invention with regard to horses.
They were likewise kept in bounds by a piece of wood, one end of which
was fastened to one of the fore feet, and the other to one of the hind
feet, and it forced them to walk pretty slowly, as at the same time it
made it impossible for them to leap over the enclosures. To me it
appeared that the horses were subject to all sorts of dangerous
accidents from this piece of wood.
Near New Frankfurt we rode over a little stone bridge, and somewhat
further, eight or nine English miles from Philadelphia we passed over
another, which was likewise of stone. There are not yet any milestones
put up in the country, and the inhabitants only compute the distances
by guess. We were afterwards brought over a river in a ferry, where we
paid threepence a person, for ourselves and our horses.
At one of the places where we stopt to have our horses fed, the people
had a Mocking-bird in a cage; and it is here reckoned the best singing
bird, though its plumage be very simple, and not showy at all. At this
time of the year it does not sing. Linnæus calls it Turdus polyglottos,
and Catesby in his Natural History of Carolina, Vol. 1. p. 27. tab. 27,
has likewise described and drawn this bird. The people said that it
built its nests in the bushes and trees, but is so shy, that if any
body come and look at its eggs, it leaves the nest, never to come to it
again. Its young ones require great care in being bred up. If they are
taken from their mother and put into a cage, she feeds them for three
or four days; but seeing no hopes of setting them at liberty, she flies
away. It then often happens, that the young ones die soon after,
doubtless because they cannot accustom themselves to eat what the
people give them. But it is generally imagined, that the last time the
mother feeds them, she finds means to poison them, in order, the sooner
to deliver them from slavery and wretchedness. These birds stay all
summer in the colonies, but retire in autumn to the south, and stay
away all winter. They have got the name of Mocking-birds, on account of
their skill in imitating the note of almost every bird they hear. The
song peculiar to them is excellent, and varied by an infinite change of
notes and melody; several people are therefore of opinion, that they
are the best singing birds in the world. So much is certain, that few
birds come up to them; this is what makes them precious: the Swedes
call it by the same name as the English.
About noon we came to New Bristol, a small town in Pensylvania, on the
banks of the Delaware, about fifteen English miles from Philadelphia.
Most of the houses are built of stone, and stand asunder. The
inhabitants carry on a small trade, though most of them get their goods
from Philadelphia. On the other side of the river, almost directly
opposite to New Bristol, lies the town of Burlington, in which the
governor of New Jersey resides.
We had now country seats on both sides of the roads. Now we came into a
lane enclosed with pales on both sides, including pretty great
corn-fields. Next followed a wood, and we perceived for the space of
four English miles nothing but woods, and a very poor soil, on which
the Lupinus perennis grew plentifully and succeeded well. I was
overjoyed to see a plant come on so well in these poor dry places, and
even began to meditate, how to improve this discovery in a soil like
that which it inhabited. But I afterwards had the mortification to find
that the horses and cows eat almost all the other plants, but left the
lupine, which was however very green, looked very fresh, and was
extremely soft to the touch. Perhaps means may be found out of making
this plant palatable to the cattle. In the evening we arrived at
Trenton, after having previously passed the Delaware in a ferry.
October the 28th. Trenton is a long narrow town, situate at some
distance from the river Delaware, on a sandy plain; it belongs to New
Jersey, and they reckon it thirty miles from Philadelphia. It has two
small churches, one for the people belonging to the church of England,
the other for the presbyterians. The houses are partly built of stone,
though most of them are made of wood or planks, commonly two stories
high, together with a cellar below the building, and a kitchen under
ground, close to the cellar. The houses stand at a moderate distance
from one another. They are commonly built so, that the street passes
along one side of the houses, while gardens of different dimensions
bound the other side; in each garden is a draw-well; the place is
reckoned very healthy. Our landlord told us, that twenty-two years ago,
when he first settled here, there was hardly more than one house; but
from that time Trenton has encreased so much, that there are at present
near a hundred houses. The houses were within divided into several
rooms by their partitions of boards. The inhabitants of the place
carried on a small trade with the goods which they got from
Philadelphia, but their chief gain consisted in the arrival of the
numerous travellers between that city and New York; for they are
commonly brought by the Trenton Yachts from Philadelphia to Trenton, or
from thence to Philadelphia. But from Trenton further to New Brunswick,
the travellers go in the waggons which set out every day for that
place. Several of the inhabitants however likewise subsist on the
carriage for all sorts of goods, which are every day sent in great
quantities, either from Philadelphia to New York, or from thence to the
former place; for between Philadelphia and Trenton all goods go by
water, but between Trenton and New Brunswick they are all carried by
land, and both these conveniences belong to people of this town.
For the yachts which go between this place and the capital of
Pensylvania, they usually pay a shilling and six-pence of Pensylvania
currency per person, and every one pays besides for his baggage. Every
passenger must provide meat and drink for himself, or pay some settled
fare: between Trenton and New Brunswick a person pays two shillings and
sixpence, and the baggage is likewise paid for separately.
We continued our journey in the morning; the country through which we
passed was for the greatest part level, though sometimes there were
some long hills, some parts were covered with trees, but far the
greater part of the country was without woods; on the other hand I
never saw any place in America, the towns excepted, so well peopled. An
old man, who lived in this neighbourhood and accompanied us for some
part of the road, however assured me, that he could well remember the
time, when between Trenton and New Brunswick there were not above three
farms, and he reckoned it was about fifty and some odd years ago.
During the greater part of the day we had very extensive corn-fields on
both sides of the road, and commonly towards the south the country had
a great declivity. Near almost every farm was a spacious orchard full
of peaches and apple trees, and in some of them the fruit was fallen
from the trees in such quantities, as to cover nearly the whole
surface. Part of it they left to rot, since they could not take it all
in and consume it. Wherever we passed by we were always welcome to go
into the fine orchards, and gather our hats and pockets full of the
choicest fruit, without the possessor’s so much as looking after it.
Cherry trees were planted near the farms, on the roads, &c.
The barns [36] had a peculiar kind of construction hereabouts, which I
will give a concise description of. The whole building was very great,
so as almost to equal a small church; the roof was pretty high, covered
with wooden shingles, declining on both sides, but not steep: the walls
which support it, were not much higher than a full grown man; but on
the other hand the breadth of the building was the more considerable:
in the middle was the threshing floor, and above it, or in the loft or
garret they put the corn which was not yet threshed, the straw, or any
thing else, according to the season: on one side were stables for the
horses, and on the other for the cows. And the small cattle had
likewise their particular stables or styes; on both ends of the
buildings were great gates, so that one could come in with a cart and
horses through one of them, and go out at the other: here was therefore
under one roof the threshing floor, the barn, the stables, the hay
loft, the coach house, &c. This kind of buildings is chiefly made use
of by the Dutch and Germans; for it is to be observed that the country
between Trenton and New York, is inhabited by few Englishmen, but
instead of them by Germans or Dutch, [37] the latter of which
especially are numerous.
Before I proceed, I find it necessary to remark one thing with regard
to the Indians, or old Americans. For this account may perhaps meet
with readers, who, like many people of my acquaintance, may be of
opinion that all North America, was almost wholly inhabited by savage
or heathen nations, and they may be astonished, that I do not mention
them more frequently in my account. Others may perhaps imagine, that
when I mention in my journal, that the country is much cultivated, that
in several places, houses of stone or wood are built, round which are
corn-fields, gardens, and orchards, that I am speaking of the property
of the Indians; to undeceive them, I here give the following
explication. The country especially all along the coasts, in the
English colonies, is inhabited by Europeans, who in some places are
already so numerous, that few parts of Europe are more populous. The
Indians have sold the country to the Europeans, and have retired
further up: in most parts you may travel twenty Swedish miles, or about
a hundred and twenty English miles, from the sea shore, before you
reach the first habitations of the Indians. And it is very possible for
a person to have been at Philadelphia and other towns on the sea shore
for half a year together, without so much as seeing an Indian. I intend
in the sequel to give a more circumstantial account of them, their
religion, manners, oeconomy, and other particulars relating to them: at
present I return to the sequel of my journal.
About nine English miles from Trenton, the ground began to change its
colour; hitherto it consisted of a considerable quantity of hazel
coloured clay, but at present the earth was a reddish brown, so that it
sometimes had a purple colour, and sometimes looked like logwood. This
colour came from a red limestone which approached very near to that
which is on the mountain Kinnekulle in West Gothland, and makes a
particular stratum in the rock. The American red limestone therefore
seems to be merely a variety of that I saw in Sweden, it lay in strata
of two or three fingers thickness; but was divisible into many thinner
plates or shivers, whose surface was seldom flat and smooth, but
commonly rough: the strata themselves were frequently cut off by
horizontal cracks. When these stones were exposed to the air, they by
degrees shivered and withered into pieces, and at last turned into
dust. The people of this neighbourhood did not know how to make any use
of it; the soil above is sometimes rich and sometimes poor: in such
places where the people had lately dug new wells, I perceived, that
most of the rubbish which was thrown up consisted of such a species of
stone. This reddish brown earth we always saw till near New Brunswick,
where it is particularly plentiful. The banks of the river, shewed in
many places nothing but strata of Limestone, which did not run
horizontally, but dipped very much.
About ten o’clock in the morning we came to Prince-town, which is
situated in a plain. Most of the houses are built of wood, and are not
contiguous, so that there are gardens and pastures between them. As
these parts were sooner inhabited by Europeans than Pensylvania, the
woods were likewise more cut away, and the country more cultivated, so
that one might have imagined himself to be in Europe.
We now thought of continuing our journey, but as it began to rain very
heavily, and continued so during the whole day and part of the night,
we were forced to stay till next morning,
October the 29th. This morning we proceeded on our journey. The country
was pretty well peopled; however there were yet great woods in many
places: they all consisted of deciduous trees: and I did not perceive a
single tree of the fir kind, till I came to New Brunswick. The ground
was level, and did not seem to be every where of the richest kind. In
some places it had hillocks, losing themselves almost imperceptibly in
the plains, which were commonly crossed by a rivulet. Almost near every
farm-house were great orchards. The houses were commonly built of
timber, and at some distance by themselves stood the ovens for baking,
consisting commonly of clay.
On a hill covered with trees, and called Rockhill, I saw several pieces
of stone or rock, so big, that they would have required three men to
roll them down. But besides these there were few great stories in the
country; for most of those which we saw, could easily be lifted up by a
single man. In another place we perceived a number of little round
pebbles, but we did not meet with either mountains or rocks.
About noon we arrived at New Brunswick, a pretty little town in the
province of New Jersey, in a valley on the west side of the river
Rareton; on account of its low situation, it cannot be seen (coming
from Pensylvania) before you get to the top of the hill, which is quite
close up to it: the town extends north and south along the river. The
German inhabitants have two churches, one of stone and the other of
wood; the English church is of the latter kind, but the presbyterians
were building one of stone: the town house makes likewise a pretty good
appearance. Some of the other houses are built of bricks, but most of
them are made either wholly of wood, or of bricks and wood; the wooden
houses are not made of strong timber, but merely of boards or planks,
which are within joined by laths: such houses as consist of both wood
and bricks, have only the wall towards the street of bricks, all the
other sides being merely of planks. This peculiar kind of ostentation
would easily lead a traveller, who passes through the town in haste, to
believe that most of the houses are built of bricks. The houses were
covered with shingles; before each door there was an elevation, to
which you ascend by some steps from the street; it resembled a small
balcony, and had some benches on both sides, on which the people sat in
the evening, in order to enjoy the fresh air, and to have the pleasure
of viewing those who passed by. The town has only one street
lengthways, and at its northern extremity there is a street across;
both of these are of a considerable length.
The river Rareton passes hard by the town, and is deep enough for great
yachts to come up; its breadth near the town is within the reach of a
common gun shot; the tide comes up several miles beyond the town, the
yachts were placed lengthways along the bridge; the river has very high
and pretty steep banks on both sides, but near the town there are no
such banks, it being situated in a low valley. One of the streets is
almost entirely inhabited by Dutchmen, who came hither from Albany, and
for that reason they call it Albany street: these Dutch people only
keep company among themselves, and seldom or never go amongst the other
inhabitants, living as it were quite separate from them. New Brunswick
belongs to New Jersey; however the greatest part, or rather all its
trade is to New York, which is about forty English miles distant; to
that place they send corn, flour in great quantities, bread, several
other necessaries, a great quantity of linseed, boards timber, wooden
vessels, and all sorts of carpenters work. Several small yachts are
every day going backwards and forwards between these two towns. The
inhabitants likewise get a considerable profit from the travellers, who
every hour pass through, on the high road.
The steep banks consist of the red limestone, which I have before
described. It is here plainly visible that the strata are not
horizontal, but considerably dipping, especially towards the south. The
weather and the air has in a great measure dissolved the stone here: I
enquired, whether it could not be made use of, but was assured, that in
building houses it was entirely useless; for, though it is hard and
permanent under ground, yet on being dug out, and exposed for some time
to the air, it first crumbles into greater, then into lesser pieces,
and at last is converted into dust. An inhabitant of this town, however
tried to build a house with this sort of stone, but its outsides being
exposed to the air, soon began to change so much, that the owner was
obliged to put boards all over the wall, to preserve it from falling to
pieces. The people however pretend that this stone is a very good
manure, if it is scattered upon the corn-fields in its rubbish state,
for it is said to stifle the weeds: it is therefore made use of both on
the fields and in gardens. [38]
Towards the evening we continued our journey, and were ferried over the
river Rareton, together with our horses. In a very dry summer, and when
the tide has ebbed, it is by no means dangerous to ride through this
river. On the opposite shore the red juniper tree was pretty abundant.
The country through which we now passed was pretty well inhabited, but
in most places full of small pebbles.
We saw Guinea Hens in many places where we passed by. They sometimes
run about the fields, at a good distance from the farm-houses.
About eight English miles from New Brunswick, the road divided. We took
that on the left, for that on the right leads to Amboy, the chief
sea-town in New Jersey. The country now made a charming appearance;
some parts being high, others forming vallies, and all of them well
cultivated. From the hills you had a prospect of houses, farms,
gardens, corn-fields, forests, lakes, islands, roads, and pastures.
In most of the places where we travelled this day the colour of the
ground was reddish. I make no doubt, but there were strata of the
before-mentioned red limestone under it. Sometimes the ground looked
very like a cinnabar ore.
Wood-bridge is a small village in a plain, consisting of a few houses:
we stopped here to rest our horses a little. The houses were most of
them built of boards; the walls had a covering of shingles on the
outside; these shingles were round at one end, and all of a length in
each row: some of the houses had an Italian roof, but the greatest part
had roofs with pediments; most of them were covered with shingles. In
most places we met with wells and buckets to draw up the water.
Elizabeth-town is a small town, about twenty English miles distant from
New Brunswick: we arrived there immediately after sun setting. Its
houses are mostly scattered, but well built, and generally of boards,
with a roof of shingles, and walls covered with the same. There were
likewise some stone buildings. A little rivulet passes through the town
from west to east; it is almost reduced to nothing when the water ebbs
away, but with the full tide they can bring up small yachts. Here were
two fine churches, each of which made a much better appearance than any
one in Philadelphia. That belonging to the people of the church of
England was built of bricks, had a steeple with bells, and a balustrade
round it, from which there was a prospect of the country. The meeting
house of the presbyterians was built of wood, but had both a steeple
and bells, and was, like the other houses covered with shingles. The
town house made likewise a good appearance, and had a spire with a
bell. The banks of the river were red, from the reddish limestone; both
in and about the town were many gardens and orchards, and it might
truly be said that Elizabeth-town was situated in a garden; the ground
hereabouts being even and well cultivated.
The geese, in some of the places by which we passed this day and the
next, carried three or four little sticks, of the length of a foot
about their necks; they were fastened crossways, to prevent them from
creeping through half broken enclosures. They look extremely awkward,
and it is very diverting to see them in this attire.
At night we took up our lodgings at Elizabeth-town Point, an inn about
two English miles distant from the town, and the last house on this
road belonging to New Jersey. The man who had taken the lease of it,
together with that of the ferry near it, told us that he paid a hundred
and ten pounds of Pensylvania currency to the owner.
October the 30th. We were ready to proceed on our journey at
sun-rising. Near the inn where we had passed the night, we were to
cross a river, and we were brought over, together with our horses, in a
wretched half rotten ferry. This river came a considerable way out of
the country, and small vessels could easily sail up it. This was a
great advantage to the inhabitants of the neighbouring country, giving
them an opportunity of sending their goods to New York with great ease;
and they even made use of it for trading to the West Indies. The
country was low on both sides of the river, and consisted of meadows.
But there was no other hay to be got, than such as commonly grows in
swampy grounds; for as the tide comes up in this river, these low
plains were sometimes overflowed when the water was high. The people
hereabouts are said to be troubled in summer with immense swarms of
gnats or musquetoes, which sting them and their cattle. This was
ascribed to the low swampy meadows, on which these insects deposite
their eggs, which are afterwards hatched by the heat.
As soon as we had got over the river, we were upon Staten Island, which
is quite surrounded with salt water. This is the beginning of the
province of New York. Most of the people settled here were Dutchmen, or
such as came hither whilst the Dutch were yet in possession of this
place. But at present they were scattered among the English and other
European inhabitants, and spoke English for the greatest part. The
prospect of the country here is extremely pleasing, as it is not so
much intercepted by woods, but offers more cultivated fields to view.
Hills and vallies still continued, as usual, to change alternately.
The farms were near each other. Most of the houses were wooden; however
some were built of stone. Near every farm-house was an orchard with
apple trees: the fruit was already for the greatest part gathered.
Here, and on the whole journey before, I observed a press for cyder at
every farm-house, made in different manners, by which the people had
already pressed the juice out of the apples, or were just busied with
that work. Some people made use of a wheel made of thick oak planks,
which turned upon a wooden axis by means of a horse drawing it, much in
the same manner as the people do with woad; [39] except that here the
wheel runs upon planks. Cherry trees stood along the enclosures round
corn-fields.
The corn-fields were excellently situated, and either sown with wheat
or rye. They had no ditches on their sides, but (as is usual in
England) only furrows, drawn at greater or lesser distances from each
other.
In one place we observed a water mill, so situated, that when the tide
flowed, the water ran into a pond: but when it ebbed, the floodgate was
drawn up, and the mill driven by the water, flowing out of the pond.
About eight o’clock in the morning we arrived at the place where we
were to cross the water, in order to come to the town of New York. We
left our horses here and went on board the yacht: we were to go eight
English miles by sea; however we landed about eleven o’clock in the
morning at New York. We saw a kind of wild ducks in immense quantities
upon the water: the people called them Blue bills, and they seemed to
be the same with our Pintail ducks, or Linnæus’s Anas acuta: but they
were very shy. On the shore of the continent we saw some very fine
sloping corn-fields, which at present looked quite green, the corn
being already come up. We saw many boats in which the fishermen were
busy catching oysters: to this purpose they make use of a kind of rakes
with long iron teeth bent inwards; these they used either singly or two
tied together in such a manner, that the teeth were turned towards each
other.
October the 31st. About New York they find innumerable quantities of
excellent oysters, and there are few places which have oysters of such
an exquisite taste, and of so great a size: they are pickled and sent
to the West Indies and other places; which is done in the following
manner. As soon as the oysters are caught, their shells are opened, and
the fish washed clean; some water is then poured into a pot, the
oysters are put into it, and they must boil for a while; the pot is
then taken off from the fire again, the oysters taken out and put upon
a dish, till they are somewhat dry: then you take some mace, allspice,
black pepper, and as much vinegar as you think is sufficient to give a
sourish taste. All this is mixed with half the liquor in which the
oysters were boiled, and put over the fire again. While you boil it
great care is to be taken in scumming off the thick scum; at last the
whole pickle is poured into a glass or earthen vessel, the oysters are
put to it, and the vessel is well stopped to keep out the air. In this
manner, oysters will keep for years together, and may be sent to the
most distant parts of the world.
The merchants here buy up great quantities of oysters about this time,
pickle them in the above-mentioned manner, and send them to the West
Indies: by which they frequently make a considerable profit: for, the
oysters, which cost them five shillings of their currency, they
commonly sell for a pistole, or about six times as much as they gave
for them; and sometimes they get even more: the oysters which are thus
pickled have a very fine flavour. The following is another way of
preserving oysters: they are taken out of the shells, fried with
butter, put into a glass or earthen vessel with the melted butter over
them, so that they are quite covered with it, and no air can get to
them. Oysters prepared in this manner have likewise an agreeable taste,
and are exported to the West Indies and other parts.
Oysters are here reckoned very wholesome, some people assured us, that
they had not felt the least inconvenience, after eating a considerable
quantity of them. It is likewise a common rule here that oysters are
best in those months which have an r in their name, such as September,
October, &c; but that they are not so good in other months; however
there are poor people, who live all the year long upon nothing but
oysters with bread.
The sea near New York, affords annually the greatest quantity of
oysters. They are found chiefly in a muddy ground, where they lie in
the slime, and are not so frequent in a sandy bottom: a rockey and a
stony bottom is seldom found here. The oyster shells are gathered in
great heaps, and burnt into a lime, which by some people is made use of
in building houses, but is not reckoned so good as that made of
limestone. On our journey to New York, we saw high heaps of oyster
shells near the farm-houses, upon the sea shore; and about New York, we
observed the people had carried them upon the fields which were sown
with wheat. However they were entire, and not crushed.
The Indians who inhabited the coast before the arrival of the
Europeans, have made oysters and other shell fish their chief food; and
at present whenever they come to a salt water where oysters are to be
got, they are very active in catching them, and sell them in great
quantities to other Indians who live higher up the country: for this
reason you see immense numbers of oyster and muscle shells piled up
near such places, where you are certain that the Indians formerly built
their huts. This circumstance ought to make us cautious in maintaining,
that in all places on the sea shore, or higher up in the country, where
such heaps of shells are to be met with, the latter have lain there
ever since the time that those places were overflowed by the sea.
Lobsters are likewise plentyfully caught hereabouts, pickled much in
the same way as oysters, and sent to several places. I was told of a
very remarkable circumstance about these lobsters, and I have
afterwards frequently heard it mentioned. The coast of New York had
already European inhabitants for a considerable time, yet no lobsters
were to be met with on that coast; and though the people fished ever so
often, they could never find any signs of lobsters being in this part
of the sea: they were therefore continually brought in great wellboats
from New England, where they are plentiful; but it happened that one of
these wellboats broke in pieces near Hellgate, about ten English miles
from New York, and all the lobsters in it got off. Since that time they
have so multiplied in this part of the sea, that they are now caught in
the greatest abundance.
November the 1st. A kind of cold fever, which the English in this
country call Fever and Ague, is very common in several parts of the
English colonies. There are however other parts, where the people have
never felt it. I will in the sequel describe the symptoms of this
disease at large. Several of the most considerable inhabitants of this
town, assured me that this disease was not near so common in New York,
as it is in Pensylvania, where ten were seized by it, to one in the
former province; therefore they were of opinion, that this disease was
occasioned by the vapours arising from stagnant fresh water, from
marshes, and from rivers; for which reason those provinces situated on
the sea shore, could not be so much affected by it. However the
carelesness with which people eat quantities of melons, watermelons,
peaches, and other juicy fruit in summer, was reckoned to contribute
much towards the progress of this fever; and repeated examples
confirmed the truth of this opinion. The jesuit’s bark was reckoned a
good remedy against it. It has however often been found to have
operated contrary to expectation, though I am ignorant whether it was
adulterated, or whether some mistake had been committed in the manner
of taking it. Mr. Davis van Horne, a merchant, told me that he cured
himself and several other people of this fever, by the leaves of the
common Garden Sage, or Salvia officinalis of Linnæus. The leaves are
crushed or pounded in a mortar, and the juice is pressed out of them;
this is continued till they get a spoonful of the liquid, which is
mixed with lemon juice. This draught is taken about the time that the
cold fit comes on; and after taking it three or four times, the fever
does not come again.
The bark of the white oak was reckoned the best remedy which had as yet
been found against the dysentery. It is reduced to a powder, and then
taken: some people assured me that in cases where nothing would help,
this remedy had given a certain and speedy relief. The people in this
place likewise make use of this bark (as is usually done in the English
colonies) to dye wool a brown colour, which looks like that of bohea
tea, and does not fade by being exposed to the sun. Among the numerous
shells which are found on the sea shore, there are some which by the
English here are called Clams, and which bear some resemblance to the
human ear. They have a considerable thickness, and are chiefly white,
excepting the pointed end, which both without and within has a blue
colour, between purple and violet. They are met with in vast numbers on
the sea shore of New York, Long Island, and other places. The shells
contain a large animal, which is eaten both by the Indians and
Europeans settled here.
A considerable commerce is carried on in this article, with such
Indians as live further up the country. When these people inhabited the
coast, they were able to catch their own clams, which at that time made
a great part of their food; but at present this is the business of the
Dutch and English, who live in Long Island and other maritime
provinces. As soon as the shells are caught, the fish is taken out of
them, drawn upon a wire, and hung up in the open air, in order to dry
by the heat of the sun. When this is done, the fish is put into proper
vessels, and carried to Albany upon the river Hudson; there the Indians
buy them, and reckon them one of their best dishes. Besides the
Europeans, many of the native Indians come annually down to the sea
shore, in order to catch clams, proceeding with them afterwards in the
manner I have just described.
The shells of these clams are used by the Indians as money, and make
what they call their wampum; they likewise serve their women for an
ornament, when they intend to appear in full dress. These wampums are
properly made of the purple parts of the shells, which the Indians
value more than the white parts. A traveller, who goes to trade with
the Indians, and is well stocked with them, may become a considerable
gainer; but if he take gold coin, or bullion, he will undoubtedly be a
loser; for the Indians who live farther up the country, put little or
no value upon these metals which we reckon so precious, as I have
frequently observed in the course of my travels. The Indians formerly
made their own wampums, though not without a deal of trouble: but at
present the Europeans employ themselves that way; especially the
inhabitants of Albany, who get a considerable profit by it. In the
sequel I intend to relate the manner of making the wampum.
November the 2d. Besides the different sects of christians, there are
many Jews settled in New York, who possess great privileges. They have
a synagogue and houses, and great country seats of their own property,
and are allowed to keep shops in town. They have likewise several
ships, which they freight and send out with their own goods. In fine
they enjoy all the privileges common to the other inhabitants of this
town and province.
During my residence at New York, this time and in the two next years, I
was frequently in company with Jews. I was informed among other things,
that these people never boiled any meat for themselves on saturday, but
that they always did it the day before; and that in winter they kept a
fire during the whole saturday. They commonly eat no pork; yet I have
been told by several men of credit, that many of them (especially among
the young Jews) when travelling, did not not make the least difficulty
about eating this, or any other meat that was put before them; even
though they were in company with christians. I was in their synagogue
last evening for the first time, and this day at noon I visited it
again, and each time I was put into a particular seat which was set
apart for strangers or christians. A young Rabbi read the divine
service, which was partly in Hebrew, and partly in the Rabinical
dialect. Both men and women were dressed entirely in the English
fashion; the former had all of them their hats on, and did not once
take them off during service. The galleries, I observed, were
appropriated to the ladies, while the men sat below. During prayers the
men spread a white cloth over their heads; which perhaps is to
represent sack cloth. But I observed that the wealthier sort of people
had a much richer cloth than the poorer ones. Many of the men had
Hebrew books, in which they sang and read alternately. The Rabbi stood
in the middle of the synagogue, and read with his face turned towards
the east; he spoke however so fast, as to make it almost impossible for
any one to understand what he said. [40]
New York, the capital of a province of the same name is situated under
forty deg. and forty min. north lat. and forty seven deg. and four min.
of western long. from London; and is about ninety seven English miles
distant from Philadelphia. The situation of it is extremely
advantageous for trade: for the town stands upon a point which is
formed by two bays; into one of which the river Hudson discharges
itself, not far from the town; New York is therefore on three sides
surrounded with water; the ground it is built on, is level in some
parts, and hilly in others: the place is generally reckoned very
wholesome.
The town was first founded by the Dutch: this, it is said, was done in
the year 1623, when they were yet masters of the country: they called
it New Amsterdam, and the country itself New Holland. The English,
towards the end of the year 1664, taking possession of it under the
conduct of Des Cartes, and keeping it by the virtue of the next treaty
of peace, gave the name of New York to both the town, and the province
belonging to it: in size it comes nearest to Boston and Philadelphia.
But with regard to its fine buildings, its opulence, and extensive
commerce, it disputes the preference with them: at present it is about
half as big again as Gothenburgh in Sweden.
The streets do not run so straight as those of Philadelphia, and have
sometimes considerable bendings: however they are very spacious and
well built, and most of them are paved, except in high places, where it
has been found useless. In the chief streets there are trees planted,
which in summer give them a fine appearance, and during the excessive
heat at that time, afford a cooling shade: I found it extremely
pleasant to walk in the town, for it seemed quite like a garden: the
trees which are planted for this purpose are chiefly of two kinds. The
Water beech, or Linnæus’s Platanus occidentalis, are the most numerous,
and give an agreeable shade in summer, by their great and numerous
leaves. The Locust tree, or Linnæus’s Robinia Pseud-Acacia is likewise
frequent: its fine leaves, and the odoriferous scent which exhales from
its flowers, make it very proper for being planted in the streets near
the houses, and in gardens. There are likewise lime trees and elms, in
these walks, but they are not by far so frequent as the others: one
seldom met with trees of the same sort next to each other, they being
in general planted alternately.
Besides numbers of birds of all kinds which make these trees their
abode, there are likewise a kind of frogs which frequent them in great
numbers in summer, they are Dr. Linnæus’s Rana arborea, and especially
the American variety of this animal. They are very clamorous in the
evening and in the nights (especially when the days had been hot, and a
rain was expected) and in a manner drown the singing of the birds. They
frequently make such a noise, that it is difficult for a person to make
himself heard.
Most of the houses are built of bricks; and are generally strong and
neat, and several stories high. Some had, according to old
architecture, turned the gable-end towards the streets; but the new
houses were altered in this respect. Many of the houses had a balcony
on the roof, on which the people used to sit in the evenings in the
summer season; and from thence they had a pleasant view of a great part
of the town, and likewise of part of the adjacent water and of the
opposite shore. The roofs are commonly covered with tiles or shingles:
the latter of which are made of the white firtree, or Pinus Strobus
(Linn. sp. plant. page 1419.) which grows higher up in the country. The
inhabitants are of opinion that a roof made of these shingles is as
durable as one made in Pensylvania of the White Cedar, or Cupressus
thyoides (Linn. spec. plant, page 1422.) The walls were whitewashed
within, and I did not any where see hangings, with which the people in
this country seem in general to be but little acquainted. The walls
were quite covered with all sorts of drawings and pictures in small
frames. On each side of the chimnies they had usually a sort of alcove;
and the wall under the windows was wainscoted, and had benches placed
near it. The alcoves, and all the wood work were painted with a bluish
grey colour.
There are several churches in the town, which deserve some attention.
1. The English Church, built in the year 1695, at the west end of town,
consisting of stone, and has a steeple with a bell. 2. The new Dutch
Church, which is likewise built of stone, is pretty large and is
provided with a steeple, it also has a clock, which is the only one in
the town. This church stands almost due from north to south. No
particular point of the compass has here been in general attended to in
erecting sacred buildings. Some churches, stand as is usual from east
to west, others from south to north, and others in different positions.
In this Dutch church, there is neither altar, vestry, choir, sconces,
nor paintings. Some trees are planted round it, which make it look as
if it was built in a wood. 3. The old Dutch church, which is also built
of stone. It is not so large as the new one. It was painted in the
inside, though without any images, and adorned with a small organ, of
which governor Burnet made them a present. The men for the most part
sit in the gallery, and the women below. 4. The Presbyterian Church,
which is pretty large, and was built but lately. It is of stone, and
has a steeple and a bell in it. 5. The German Lutheran Church. 6. The
German Reformed Church. 7. The French Church, for protestant refugees.
8. The Quaker’s Meeting house. 9. To these may be added the Jewish
Synagogue, which I mentioned before.
Towards the sea, on the extremity of the promontory is a pretty good
fortress, called Fort George, which entirely commands the port, and can
defend the town, at least from a sudden attack on the sea side. Besides
that, it is likewise secured on the north or towards the shore, by a
pallisade, which however (as for a considerable time the people have
had nothing to fear from an enemy) is in many places in a very bad
state of defence.
There is no good water to be met with in the town itself, but at a
little distance there is a large spring of good water, which the
inhabitants take for their tea, and for the uses of the kitchen. Those
however, who are less delicate in this point, make use of the water
from the wells in town, though it be very bad. This want of good water
lies heavy upon the horses of the strangers that come to this place;
for they do not like to drink the water from the wells in the town.
The port is a good one: ships of the greatest burthen can lie in it,
quite close up to the bridge: but its water is very salt, as the sea
continually comes in upon it; and therefore is never frozen, except in
extraordinary cold weather. This is of great advantage to the city and
its commerce; for many ships either come in or go out of the port at
any time of the year; unless the winds be contrary; a convenience,
which as I have before observed, is wanting at Philadelphia. It is
secured from all violent hurricanes from the south-east by Long Island
which is situated just before the town: therefore only the storms from
the south-west are dangerous to the ships which ride at anchor here,
because the port is open only on that side. The entrance however has
its faults: one of them is, that no men of war can pass through it; for
though the water is pretty deep, yet it is not sufficiently so for
great ships. Sometimes even merchant ships of a large size have by the
rolling of the waves and by sinking down between them, slightly touched
the bottom, though without any bad consequences. Besides this, the
canal is narrow; and for this reason many ships have been lost here,
because they may be easily cast upon a sand, if the ship is not well
piloted. Some old people, who had constantly been upon this canal,
assured me, that it was neither deeper, nor shallower at present, than
in their youth.
The common difference between high and low water at New York, amounts
to about six feet, English measure. But at a certain time in every
month, when the tide flows more than commonly, the difference in the
height of the water is seven feet.
New York probably carries on a more extensive commerce, than any town
in the English North American provinces; at least it may be said to
equal them: Boston and Philadelphia however come very near up to it.
The trade of New York extends to many places, and it is said they send
more ships from thence to London, than they do from Philadelphia. They
export to that capital all the various sorts of skins which they buy of
the Indians, sugar, logwood, and other dying woods, rum, mahogany, and
many other goods which are the produce of the West Indies; together
with all the specie which they get in the course of trade. Every year
they build several ships here, which are sent to London, and there
sold; and of late years they have shipped a quantity of iron to
England. In return for these, they import from London stuffs and every
other article of English growth or manufacture, together with all sorts
of foreign goods. England, and especially London, profits immensely by
its trade with the American colonies; for not only New York, but
likewise all the other English towns on the continent, import so many
articles from England, that all their specie, together with the goods
which they get in other countries, must altogether go to Old England,
in order to pay the amount, to which they are however insufficient.
From hence it appears how much a well regulated colony contributes to
the increase and welfare of its mother country.
New York sends many ships to the West Indies, with flour, corn,
biscuit, timber, tuns, boards, flesh, fish, butter, and other
provisions; together with some of the few fruits that grow here. Many
ships go to Boston in New England, with corn and flour, and take in
exchange, flesh, butter, timber, different sorts of fish, and other
articles, which they carry further to the West Indies. They now and
then take rum from thence, which is distilled there in great
quantities, and sell it here with a considerable advantage. Sometimes
they send yachts with goods from New York to Philadelphia, and at other
times yachts are sent from Philadelphia to New York; which is only
done, as appears from the gazettes, because certain articles are
cheaper at one place than at the other. They send ships to Ireland
every year, laden with all kinds of West India goods; but especially
with linseed, which is reaped in this province. I have been assured,
that in some years no less than ten ships have been sent to Ireland,
laden with nothing but linseed; because it is said the flax in Ireland
does not afford good seed. But probably the true reason is this: the
people of Ireland, in order to have the better flax, make use of the
plant before the seed is ripe, and therefore are obliged to send for
foreign seed; and hence it becomes one of the chief articles in trade.
At this time a bushel of linseed is sold for eight shillings of New
York currency, or exactly a piece of eight.
The goods which are shipped to the West Indies, are sometimes paid for
with ready money, and sometimes with West India goods, which are either
first brought to New York, or immediately sent to England or Holland.
If a ship does not chuse to take in West India goods in its return to
New York, or if no body will freight it, it often goes to Newcastle in
England to take in coals for ballast, which when brought home sell for
a pretty good price. In many parts of the town coals are made use of,
both for kitchen fires, and in rooms, because they are reckoned cheaper
than wood, which at present costs thirty Shillings of New York currency
per fathom; of which measure I have before made mention. New York has
likewise some intercourse with South Carolina; to which it sends corn,
flour, sugar, rum, and other goods, and takes rice in return, which is
almost the only commodity exported from South Carolina.
The goods with which the province of New York trades are not very
numerous. They chiefly export the skins of animals, which are bought of
the Indians about Oswego; great quantities of boards, coming for the
most part from Albany; timber and ready made lumber, from that part of
the country which lies about the river Hudson; and lastly wheat, flour,
barley, oats and other kinds of corn, which are brought from New Jersey
and the cultivated parts of this province. I have seen yachts from New
Brunswick, laden with wheat which lay loose on board, and with flour
packed up into tuns; and also with great quantities of linseed. New
York likewise exports some flesh and other provisions out of its own
province, but they are very few; nor is the quantity of pease which the
people about Albany bring much greater. Iron however may be had more
plentifully, as it is found in several parts of this province, and is
of a considerable goodness; but all the other products of this country
are of little account.
Most of the wine, which is drank here and in the other colonies is
brought from the Isle of Madeira and is very strong and fiery.
No manufactures of note have as yet been established here; at present
they get all manufactured goods, such as woollen and linen cloth, &c.
from England, and especially from London.
The river Hudson is very convenient for the commerce of this city; as
it is navigable for near a hundred and fifty English miles up the
country, and falls into the bay not far from the town, on its western
side. During eight months of the year this river is full of yachts, and
other greater and lesser vessels, either going to New York or returning
from thence, laden either with inland or foreign goods.
I cannot make a just estimate of the ships that annually come to this
town or sail from it. But I have found by the Pensylvania gazettes that
from the first of December in 1729, to the fifth of December in the
next year, 211 ships entered the port of New York, and 222 cleared it;
and since that time there has been a great increase of trade here.
The country people come to market in New York, twice a week much in the
same manner, as they do at Philadelphia; with this difference, that the
markets are here kept in several places.
The governor of the province of New York, resides here, and has a
palace in the fort. Among those who have been entrusted with this post,
William Burnet deserves to be had in perpetual remembrance. He was one
of the sons of Dr. Thomas Burnet (so celebrated on account of his
learning) and seemed to have inherited the knowledge of his father. But
his great assiduity in promoting the welfare of this province, is what
makes the principal merit of his character. The people of New York
therefore still reckon him the best governor they ever had, and think
that they cannot praise his services too much. The many astronomical
observations which he made in these parts, are inserted in several
English works. In the year 1727, at the accession of king George the
II. to the throne of Great Britain, he was appointed governor of New
England. In consequence of this he left New York, and went to Boston,
where he died universally lamented, on the 7th. of September 1729.
An assembly of deputies from all the particular districts of the
province of New York, is held at New York once or twice every year. It
may be looked upon as a parliament or dyet in miniature. Every thing
relating to the good of the province is here debated. The governor
calls the assembly, and dissolves it at pleasure: this is a power which
he ought only to make use of, either when no farther debates are
necessary, or when the members are not so unanimous in the service of
their king and country as is their duty: it frequently however happens,
that, led aside by caprice or by interested views, he exerts it to the
prejudice of the province. The colony has sometimes had a governor,
whose quarrels with the inhabitants, have induced their
representatives, or the members of the assembly, through a spirit of
revenge, to oppose indifferently every thing he proposed, whether it
was beneficial to the country or not. In such cases the governor has
made use of his power; dissolving the assembly, and calling another
soon after, which however he again dissolved upon the least mark of
their ill humour. By this means he so much tired them, by the many
expences which they were forced to bear in so short a time, that they
were at last glad to unite with him, in his endeavours for the good of
the province. But there have likewise been governors who have called
assemblies and dissolved them soon after, merely because the
representatives did not act according to their whims, or would not give
their assent to proposals which were perhaps dangerous or hurtful to
the common welfare.
The king appoints the governor according to his royal pleasure; but the
inhabitants of the province make up his excellency’s salary. Therefore
a man entrusted with this place has greater or lesser revenues,
according as he knows how to gain the confidence of the inhabitants.
There are examples of governors in this, and other provinces of North
America, who by their dissensions with the inhabitants of their
respective governments, have lost their whole salary, his Majesty
having no power to make them pay it. If a governor had no other
resource in these circumstances, he would be obliged either to resign
his office, or to be content with an income too small for his dignity;
or else to conform himself in every thing to the inclinations of the
inhabitants: but there are several stated profits, which in some
measure make up for this. 1. No one is allowed to keep a public house
without the governor’s leave; which is only to be obtained by the
payment of a certain fee, according to the circumstances of the person.
Some governors therefore, when the inhabitants refused to pay them a
salary, have hit upon the expedient of doubling the number of inns in
their province. 2. Few people who intend to be married, unless they be
very poor, will have their banns published from the pulpit; but instead
of this they get licences from the governor, which impower any minister
to marry them. Now for such a licence the governor receives about half
a guinea, and this collected throughout the whole province, amounts to
a considerable sum. 3. The governor signs all passports, and especially
of such as go to sea; and this gives him another means of supplying his
expences. There are several other advantages allowed to him, but as
they are very trifling, I shall omit them.
At the above assembly the old laws are reviewed and amended, and new
ones are made: and the regulation and circulation of coin, together
with all other affairs of that kind are there determined. For it is to
be observed that each English colony in North America is independent of
the other, and that each has its proper laws and coin, and may be
looked upon in several lights, as a state by itself. From hence it
happens, that in time of war, things go on very slowly and irregularly
here: for not only the sense of one province is sometimes directly
opposite to that of another; but frequently the views of the governor,
and those of the assembly of the same province, are quite different: so
that it is easy to see, that, while the people are quarrelling about
the best and cheapest manner of carrying on the war, an enemy has it in
his power to take one place after another. It has commonly happened
that whilst some provinces have been suffering from their enemies, the
neighbouring ones were quiet and inactive, and as if it did not in the
least concern them. They have frequently taken up two or three years in
considering whether they should give assistance to an oppressed sister
colony, and sometimes they have expresly declared themselves against
it. There are instances of provinces who were not only neuter in these
circumstances, but who even carried on a great trade with the power
which at that very time was attacking and laying waste some other
provinces.
The French in Canada, who are but an inconsiderable body, in comparison
with the English in America, have by this position of affairs been able
to obtain great Advantages in times of war; for if we judge from the
number and power of the English, it would seem very easy for them to
get the better of the French in America. [41]
It is however of great advantage to the crown of England, that the
North American colonies are near a country, under the government of the
French, like Canada. There is reason to believe that the king never was
earnest in his attempts to expel the French from their possessions
there; though it might have been done with little difficulty. For the
English colonies in this part of the world have encreased so much in
their number of inhabitants, and in their riches, that they almost vie
with Old England. Now in order to keep up the authority and trade of
their mother country, and to answer several other puposes, they are
forbid to establish new manufactures, which would turn to the
disadvantage of the British commerce: they are not allowed to dig for
any gold or silver, unless they send them to England immediately: they
have not the liberty of trading to any parts that do not belong to the
British dominions, excepting some settled places, and foreign traders
are not allowed to send their ships to them. These and some other
restrictions, occasion the inhabitants of the English colonies to grow
less tender for their mother country. This coldness is kept up by the
many foreigners such as Germans, Dutch and French settled here, and
living among the English, who commonly have no particular attachment to
Old England; add to this likewise that many people can never be
contented with their possessions, though they be ever so great, and
will always be desirous of getting more, and of enjoying the pleasure
which arises from changing; and their over great liberty, and their
luxury often lead them to licentiousness.
I have been told by Englishmen, and not only by such as were born in
America, but even by such as came from Europe, that the English
colonies in North-America, in the space of thirty or fifty years, would
be able to form a state by themselves, entirely independent on Old
England. But as the whole country which lies along the sea shore, is
unguarded, and on the land side is harrassed by the French, in times of
war these dangerous neighbours are sufficient to prevent the connection
of the colonies with their mother country from being quite broken off.
The English government has therefore sufficient reason to consider the
French in North-America, as the best means of keeping the colonies in
their due submission. But, I am almost gone too far from my purpose; I
will therefore finish my observations on New York.
The declination of the magnetic needle, in this town was observed by
Philip Wells, the chief engineer of the province of New York, in the
year 1686, to be eight deg. and forty-five min. to the westward. But in
1723, it was only seven deg. and twenty min. according to the
observations of governor Burnet.
From hence we may conclude that in thirty-eight years the magnet
approaches about one deg. and twenty five min. nearer to the true
north; or, which is the same thing, about two min. annually. Mr.
Alexander, a man of great knowledge in astronomy and in mathematics,
assured me from several observations, that in the year 1750, on the
eighteenth of September the deviation was to be reckoned six deg. and
twenty two min.
There are two printers in the town, and every week some English
gazettes are published, which contain news from all parts of the world.
The winter is much more severe here, than in Pensylvania; it being
nearly as cold as in some of the provinces of Sweden: its continuance
however is much shorter than with us: their spring is very early and
their autumn very late, and the heat in summer is excessive. For this
reason, the melons sown in the fields are ripe at the beginning of
August; whereas we can hardly bring them so soon to maturity under
glasses and on hot beds. The cold of the winter, I cannot justly
determine, as the meteorological observations which were communicated
to me, were all calculated after thermometers, which were so placed in
the houses, that the air could not freely come at them. The snow lies
for some months together upon the ground; and sledges are made use of
here as in Sweden, but they are rather too bulky. The river Hudson is
about an English mile and a half broad at its mouth: the difference
between the highest flood and the lowest ebb is between six and seven
feet, and the water is very brackish: yet the ice stands in it not only
one but even several months: it has sometimes a thickness of more than
two feet.
The inhabitants are sometimes greatly troubled with Musquitoes. They
either follow the hay which is made near the town, in the low meadows
which are quite penetrated with salt water; or they accompany the
cattle at night when it is brought home. I have myself experienced, and
have observed in others, how much these little animalcules can
disfigure a person’s face during a single night; for the skin is
sometimes so covered over with little blisters from their stings, that
people are ashamed to appear in public. The water melons which are
cultivated near the town grow very large: they are extremely delicious,
and are better than in other parts of North America; though they are
planted in the open fields and never in a hot-bed. I saw a water melon
at Governor Clinton’s in September 1750, which weighed forty seven
English pounds, and at a merchant’s in town another of forty two pounds
weight: however they were reckoned the biggest ever seen in this
country.
In the year 1710, five kings, or Sachems of the Iroquois went from
hence to England, in order to engage Queen Anne to make an alliance
with them against the French. Their names, dress, reception at court,
speeches to the Queen, opinion of England and of the European manners,
and several other particulars about them are sufficiently known from
other writings; it would therefore be here unnecessary to enlarge about
them. The kings or Sachems of the Indians, have commonly no greater
authority over their subjects than constables in a meeting of the
inhabitants of a parish, and hardly so much. On my travels through the
country of these Indians, I had never any occasion to go and wait upon
the Sachems; for they always came into my habitation without being
asked: these visits they commonly paid in order to get a glass or two
of brandy, which they value above any thing they know. One of the five
Sachems mentioned above, died in England; the others returned safe.
The first colonists in New York were Dutchmen: when the town and its
territories were taken by the English, and left them by the next peace
in exchange for Surinam, the old inhabitants were allowed either to
remain at New York, and to enjoy all the privileges and immunities
which they were possessed of before, or to leave the place with all
their goods: most of them chose the former; and therefore the
inhabitants both of the town and of the province belonging to it, are
yet for the greatest part Dutchmen; who still, especially the old
people, speak their mother tongue.
They begin however by degrees to change their manners and opinions;
chiefly indeed in the town and in its neighbourhood: for most of the
young people now speak principally English, and go only to the English
church; and would even take it amiss, if they were called Dutchmen and
not Englishmen.
Though the province of New York has been inhabited by Europeans, much
longer than Pensylvania, yet it is not by far so populous as that
colony. This cannot be ascribed to any particular discouragement
arising from the nature of the soil; for that is pretty good: but I was
told of a very different reason, which I will mention here. In the
reign of Queen Anne about the year 1709, many Germans came hither, who
got a tract of land from the government on which they might settle.
After they had lived there for some time, and had built houses and
churches, and made corn-fields and meadows, their liberties and
privileges were infringed, and under several pretences they were
repeatedly deprived of parts of their land. This at last rouzed the
Germans; they returned violence for violence, and beat those who thus
robbed them of their possessions. But these proceedings were looked
upon in a very bad light by the government: the most active people
among the Germans being taken up, they were very roughly treated, and
punished with the utmost rigour of the law. This however so far
exasperated the rest, that the greater part of them left their houses
and fields, and went to settle in Pensylvania: there they were
exceedingly well received, got a considerable tract of land, and were
indulged in great privileges which were given them forever. The Germans
not satisfied with being themselves removed from New York, wrote to
their relations and friends and advised them, if ever they intended to
come to America, not to go to New York, where the government had shewn
itself so unequitable. This advice had such influence, that the
Germans, who afterwards went in great numbers to North America,
constantly avoided New York and always went to Pensylvania. It
sometimes happened that they were forced to go on board such ships as
were bound to New York; but they were scarce got on shore, when they
hastened on to Pensylvania in sight of all the inhabitants of New York.
But the want of people in this province may likewise be accounted for
in a different manner. As the Dutch, who first cultivated this country,
obtained the liberty of staying here by the treaty with England, and of
enjoying all their privileges and advantages without the least
limitation, each of them took a very large piece of ground for himself,
and many of the more powerful heads of families made themselves the
possessors and masters of a country of as great an extent as would be
sufficient to form a middling and even a great parish. Most of them
being very rich, their envy of the English led them not to sell them
any land, but at an excessive rate; a practice which is still
punctually observed among their descendants. The English therefore as
well as people of different nations, have little encouragement to
settle here. On the other hand they have sufficient opportunity in the
other provinces, to purchase land at a more moderate price, and with
more security to themselves. It is not then to be wondered, that so
many parts of New York are still uncultivated, and have entirely the
appearance of desarts. This instance may teach us how much a small
mistake in a government will injure population.
November the 3d. About noon we set out from New York on our return, and
continuing our journey, we arrived at Philadelphia on the fifth of
November.
In the neighbourhood of this capital (of Pensylvania) the people had a
month ago made their cyder, which they were obliged to do, because
their apples were so ripe as to drop from the trees. But on our journey
through New York we observed the people still employed in pressing out
the cyder. This is a plain proof that in Pensylvania the apples are
sooner ripe than in New York; but whether this be owing to the nature
of the soil, or a greater heat of the summer in Philadelphia, or to
some other cause I know not. However there is not the least advantage
in making cyder so early: for long experience had taught the husbandmen
that it is worse for being made early in the year; the great heat in
the beginning of autumn being said to hinder the fermentation of the
juice.
There is a certain quadruped which is pretty common not only in
Pensylvania, but likewise in other provinces both of South and North
America, and goes by the name of Polecat among the English. In New York
they generally call it Skunk. The Swedes here by way of nickname called
it Fiskatta, on account of the horrid stench it sometimes causes as I
shall presently show. The French in Canada, for the same reason call it
Bête puante or stinking animal, and Enfant du diable or child of the
devil. Some of them likewise call it Pekan: Catesby in his Natural
History of Carolina, has described it in Vol. 2. p. 62. by the name of
Putorius Americanus striatus and drawn it plate 62. Dr. Linnæus calls
it Viverra Putorius. [42] This animal, which is very similar to the
Marten, is of about the same size and commonly black: on the back it
has a longitudinal white stripe and two others on each side, parallel
to the former. Sometimes but very seldom, some are seen which are quite
white. On our return to Philadelphia we saw one of these animals not
far from town near a farmer’s house, killed by dogs. And afterwards I
had during my stay in these parts several opportunities of seeing it
and of hearing its qualities. It keeps its young ones in holes in the
ground and in hollow trees; for it does not confine itself to the
ground, but climbs up trees with the greatest agility: it is a great
enemy to birds; for it breaks their eggs and devours their young ones;
and if it can get into a hen roost it soon destroys all its
inhabitants.
This animal has a particular quality by which it is principally known;
when it is pursued by men or dogs it runs at first as fast as it can,
or climbs upon a tree; but if it is so beset by its pursuers, as to
have no other way of making its escape, it squirts its urine upon them.
This according to some it does by wetting its tail with the urine
whence by a sudden motion it scatters it abroad; but others believe,
that it could send its urine equally far without the help of its tail;
I find the former of these accounts to be the most likely. For, some
credible people assured me, that they have had their faces wetted with
it all over; though they stood above eighteen feet off from the animal.
The urine has so horrid a stench that nothing can equal it: it is
something like that of the Cranesbill or Linnæus’s Geranium
robertianum, but infinitely stronger. If you come near a polecat when
it spreads its stench, you cannot breathe for a while, and it seems as
if you were stifled; and in case the urine comes into the eyes, a
person is likely to be blinded. Many dogs that in a chace pursue the
polecat very eagerly, run away as fast as they can when they are
wetted: however, if they be of the true breed, they will not give over
the pursuit till they have caught and killed the polecat; but they are
obliged now and then to rub their noses in the ground in order to
relieve themselves.
Clothes which have been wetted by this animal retain the smell for more
than a month; unless they be covered with fresh soil, and suffered to
remain under it for twenty four hours together; when it will in a great
measure be removed. Those likewise who have got any of this urine upon
their face and hands, rub them with loose earth; and some even hold
their hands in the ground for an hour; as washing will not help them so
soon. A certain man of rank who had by accident been wetted by the
polecat, stunk so ill, that on going into a house, the people either
ran away, or on his opening the door, rudely denied him entrance. Dogs
that have hunted a polecat are so offensive for some days afterwards,
that they cannot be borne in the house. At Philadelphia I once saw a
great number of people on a market day throwing at a dog that was so
unfortunate as to have been engaged with a polecat just before, and to
carry about him the tokens of its displeasure. Persons when travelling
through a forest are often troubled with the stink which this creature
makes; and sometimes the air is so much infected that it is necessary
to hold ones nose. If the wind blows from the place where the polecat
has been, or if it be quite calm, as at night, the smell is more strong
and disagreeable.
In the winter of 1749, a polecat tempted by a dead lamb, came one night
near the farm house where I then slept. Being immediately pursued by
some dogs, it had recourse to its usual expedient in order to get rid
of them. The attempt succeeded, the dogs not choosing to continue the
pursuit: the stink was so extremely great that, though I was at some
distance it affected me in the same manner as if I had been stifled;
and it was so disagreeable to the cattle that it made them roar very
loudly: however, by degrees it vanished. Towards the end of the same
year one of these animals got into our cellar, but no stench was
observed, for it only vents that when it is pursued. The cook however
found for several days together that some of the meat which was kept
there was eaten; and suspecting that it was done by the cat she shut up
all avenues, in order to prevent their getting at it. But the next
night being awoke by a noise in the cellar, she went down, and though
it was quite dark, saw an animal with two shining eyes, which seemed to
be all on fire; she however resolutely killed it, but not before the
polecat had filled the cellar with a most dreadful stench. The maid was
sick of it for several days; and all the bread, flesh, and other
provisions kept in the cellar were so penetrated with it, that we could
not make the least use of them, and were forced to throw them all away.
From an accident that happened at New York to one of my acquaintances,
I conclude that the polecat either is not always very shy, or that it
sleeps very hard at night. This man coming home out of a wood in a
summer evening, thought that he saw a plant standing before him;
stooping to pluck it, he was to his cost convinced of his mistake, by
being all on a sudden covered with the urine of a polecat, whose tail
as it stood upright, the good man had taken for a plant: the creature
had taken its revenge so effectually that he was much at a loss how to
get rid of the stench.
However though these animals play such disagreeable tricks, yet the
English, the Swedes, the French, and the Indians in these parts tame
them. They follow their masters like domestic animals, and never make
use of their urine, except they be very much beaten or terrified. When
the Indians kill such a polecat, they always eat its flesh, but when
they pull off its skin, they take care to cut away the bladder, that
the flesh may not get a taste from it. I have spoken with both
Englishmen and Frenchmen, who assured me that they had eaten of it, and
found it very good meat, and not much unlike the flesh of a pig. The
skin which is pretty coarse, and has long hair, is not made use of by
the Europeans; but the Indians prepare it with the hair on, and make
tobacco pouches of it, which they carry before them.
November the 6th. In the evening I went out of town to Mr. Bartram, I
found a man with him, who lived in Carolina and I obtained several
particulars about that province from him; a few of which I will here
mention.