152 T363a 1903 THOMAS'S PENNSYL- VANIA AND WEST 'N E W E R S K Y THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST NEW JERSEY Of this edition, two hundred and fifty copies have been printed, and the type distrib- uted. This is AN ACCOUNT OF PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST NEW JERSEY BY GABRIEL THOMAS Reprinted from the original edition of 1698 With Introduction by \J CYRUS TOWNSEND BEADY, LL.D. CLEVELAND THE BURROWS BROTHERS COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1903 BY THE BURROWS BROTHERS COMPANY Jlrr CLEVELAND F 152 3 1103 INTRODUCTION GABRIEL THOMAS'S historical account, or geo- graphical description of "Pensilvania and of West-New-Jersey," is a very scarce book and difficult to secure in its original edition. There are a number of copies in existence but they are jealously held in libraries and collections and are not to be had. There is a rapidly increasing demand for the book by collectors which naturally produces a corresponding scarcity. The price of the few perfect copies that have been offered for sale lately has appreciated in a remarkable degree, and the startling advance from one dollar to over one thousand dollars, which has taken place in less than one hundred years, shows, as nothing else could, the increasing interest taken in mate- rial of this kind by libraries and collectors, private or public. In the following account the sales, unless specif- ically stated, were held in America. Probably some of the sales recorded were re-sales of the same examples. The early English records, more or less imper- fect at first, show that, at the Heath sale in April- 1268081 / N T R O D V C T I O N May, 1810, an original copy brought ten shillings and sixpence; at one of Chalmers' s sales in 1841-42, the price was thirteen shillings; at the Brighton sale in March, 1845, sixteen shillings; and that Willis and Sotheran sold a ropy in 1862 for three pounds and ten shillings. Sabin sold a copy in March, 1873, for $300; a second copy offered a year later brought the same amount; in November, 1875, a slightly defective copy was sold for $120 at the Menzies sale; at the Brinley sale in 1880 three copies were disposed of for $150, $100, and $65 respec- tively, the difference in price being due to the style of binding and the condition of the several examples. In 1884, at the sale of the Murphy collection, the price had fallen to $74; at the Barlow sale in 1890 it had risen to $190; at the Ives sale in 1891, $200 was realized for an unusually fine copy. In England in 1893 at the Simon sale the price was 31, and in 1895, Sotheby sold one for 34 lO.s. In America again in 1896 three copies were sold for $200, $195, and $190 respectively; but in 1897 the price fell to $145. At the Ashburton sale in England in 1900, a copy in the original half binding brought the record price of 62. At the McKee sale on June 12, 1902, an exquisite example brought $805 which is the record auction price at the present date. At the Lefferts sale in England on INTRODUCTION June 17, 1902, a fine but not quite a perfect copy brought 109. This copy was bound by David in full green levant tooled to a Derome (so called from the name of a famous French binder) pattern, doubled with blue levant, having a richly gilt heavy border, back and edges gilt, in a solander case of green levant. With the exception of the McKee copy this is the finest copy known. Its only imperfections are that the title-page and several other leaves have been slightly mended. This spring the McKee copy mentioned above was sold by Mr. George H. Richmond of New York at private sale for $1,050, an advance of $245 over the price of the preceding year. This copy is thus described : Small 8vo; full crushed dark crimson levant morocco, floriated borders on sides, with doublure of green crushed levant morocco, broad gold borders, by FRANCIS BEDFORD. Enclosed in a morocco slip case. This is, I think, the finest copy known. It is in " superb condition, most of the leaves being uncut, while it is sound and clean throughout." There are original examples in the British Museum and the Library of Congress; in the Libraries of the Pennsylvania and New York His- torical Societies ; the Lenox Library of New York City; the Watkinson Library of Hartford, Conn. ; the New York State Library at Albany; the Library of Harvard College (two copies); the INTRODUCTION Library of the Boston Athenaeum; the Advo- cates' Library of Edinburgh, Scotland; the Heath collection of London, England; the John Carter Brown Library of Providence, R. I. ; the E. Dwight Church collection and the Phila- delphia Library (two copies). Without doubt there are other examples also in different public libraries and private collections in America and England. Strange to say, the New Jersey His- torical Society has no original copy. The book was reissued in a rather indifferently executed facsimile in 1848 for Henry Austin Brady, a counsellor-at-law and a member of the New York Historical Society. Six copies in folio were printed of this edition and at least one small quarto on blue writing-paper. In the Lenox Library of New York all states of the Brady reprint appear the small octavo, which is the size of the original volume, the quarto, mentioned above, and the large folio. Watson quotes (im- perfectly and incorrectly) the portion relating to Pennsylvania in his Annul* of Philadelphia, and also states that the book was published in fac- simile in 185- by J. W. Moore of Philadelphia, and that the reprint was very scarce in 1857. I have never seen it. Watson perhaps refers to the Brady reprint. This portion has also been reprinted in pamphlet form in the Li forty Bell Lea fiefs, published by Christopher Sower Co., Philadelphia, 1900. INTRODUCTION The portion relating to Pennsylvania only was translated into German in 1702. This translation was bound up with Francis Daniel Pastorius's Beschreibung der Provintz Pensylvanice, published at Leipsic in 1704. I have not discovered any other translations or reissues of the book. Copies of the Brady reprint are offered occa- sionally and may be had for comparatively small amounts, although they are becoming rare and the price is increasing. Little is known of the personality of the author save what may be gathered from his book. He lived in the Province of Pennsylvania between 1682 and 1697 and he was a Quaker. The book was probably written in England. A person of his name was again in Pennsylvania in 1702, an applicant for a commission as collector of quit rents in New Castle County. As is seen from his book he inveighed against George Fox in 1697-98, and in 1702 sided against Penn with Colonel Quarry. The variety and extent of his information, the general accuracy of his statements, the simplicity and clearness of his style, the pleasing quaintness of his several addresses to the reader, the admi- rable brevity with which he has discussed the subjects he has allotted to himself, the absence in the main of all exaggeration, the avoidance of the INTRODUCTION legendary absurdities with which most travelers 1 tales of the period abound have all conduced to render his book a classic; of its kind. It has been quoted again and again by various authorities, and always with approbation, in spite of its one fault, the pardonable extravagance of an advocate whose affections are deeply engaged in the cause for which he pleads. One statement has often been pointed out as in- dicative either of misrepresentation or inaccuracy on the part of the author; that is in the reference on page 46 to the "Noble Town-House or Guild - Hall ' ' as having been lately built. * This building was not erected until 1707. On page 56 Thomas plainly indicates that he was writing in England in the year 1697 ("but now the year 1697," etc.), which agrees with the date of the publication of the volume, 1698. Attempts have been made to explain this discrepancy by surmising that suc- cessive editions were issued, all bearing the same original date, in which at the proper time the reference to the new town hall was inserted by gome alien hand. I suppose rather that In this instance Thomas drew upon his imagination and recorded that which was to be a# actually having been done. As early as 1688 Penn wrote that he feared the little Letitia House, which was used ae the provincial state-house, waw too contracted *A11 page references are to this present edition. IO INTRODUCTION for such a purpose, and suggesting the erection of a larger and more suitable building. Thomas may have had this suggestion in mind when he wrote. Another error is found on page 47; where he refers to the Chestnut Street Wharf the context shows plainly that he means the Arch Street Wharf. These are small and unimportant blem- ishes; not many books are so fortunate in escaping with so few. There are several things in his pages to which it seems advisable specifically to call attention here. The first is the delicious if unconscious humor of the testimony on pages 49-51 as to the qualities of the children and the enviable condition of the mothers in Pennsylvania, which certainly showed that there was no thought of race suicide in that province in those days. I question whether under the changed conditions of the present his statements would prove a recom- mendation to young married folk starting in life ; but they certainly, if results be a criterion, must have presented fascinating allurements to the emi- grants of the past. Indeed the genial author might well argue why should not people have large families in such an earthly paradise as he describes Pennsylvania and incidentally West New Jersey to have been ; a claim which the sons ol those two famous ii INTRODUCTION states are quite zealous to maintain, perhaps in more moderate language but with no less vigor and enthusiasm even today. The whole situation is respectfully commended to President Roosevelt, who has the subject much at heart, that by studying this glorious past he may find further inspiration with which to encourage the future. The second especially interesting feature of the book is the account unfortunately but too brief of the aborigines with whom Penn made his famous Treaty. These Indians were of the Lenni-Lenape tribe, a branch of the great Algonquin family, known to the English colonists as the Delawares. The word Lenni-Lenape may be freely rendered as "the men of men," or as "we men. 1 ' There is a touch of savage arrogance in the title as if one tribe should say of itself to the exclusion of other less favored tribes, "We, the people." Those on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware were known as the Unamis, those on the Jersey side as the Unalachtigos. The language of these Indians was rather a difficult one for the white settlers to master in its purity. William Penn writes, "I have made it my business to understand it that 1 might not want an interpreter on any occasion." Judging from the specimens contained in this book, taken in connection with other specimens which have been preserved, and contrasting them with the 12 INTRODUCTION language of the remnants of the Delawares now in existence, Doctor Brinton concludes that what William Penn learned and what Thomas has recorded was a "trader's jargon which scorned etymology, syntax, and prosody, and was about as near pure Lenape as pigeon -English is to the periods of Macaulay ! " The dialect was a stumbling-block to the com- positor of 1698 also, for in the original no equiva- lents are provided for the second answer and the third question, on page 69. The dialogue recorded is interesting in one particular, for it contains one of the first appearances in print of what has become one of our common English words, and the reader may see the inaccuracy of Thomas's re- cension when he considers that the word weekin is evidently intended for wickwam which is the modern word ' ' wig warn ! ' ' The third point worthy of notice is in the invalu- able account of the wages prevailing in the colony on pages 40-44. And as the statement is made that they are about three times greater than the amounts paid for the same service in the mother country, they throw considerable light upon the labor conditions in England as well. The colony was a delectable place for all sorts and conditions of men, saving lawyers and physicians, whose fortunes languished because it was both peaceable and healthy to an unusual degree ! 13 INTRODUCTION It is perhaps hardly necessary to note that the "Cotton " in the veins of the " Salamander-Stone " to which Thomas refers on page 30 is evidently asbestos. To sum up, the enthusiastic author so describes the countries to which he wishes to attract that emigration of "the Idle, the Sloathful, and the Vagabonds of England, Scotland, and Ireland" which we feel quite sure would not be best designed to occupy it after all, and so paints the conditions as he sees them, that we are reminded of a famous line from Lalla Rookh : And oh! If there be an elysium on earth, It is this, it is this. CYRUS TOWNSEND BBADY. BROOKLYN, N. Y., November i, 1903. I 4 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST NEW JERSEY LONDON : A. BALDWIN 1698 Title-pages, map, and text reprinted from a copy of the original edition in the Lenox Library, New York City. O F T II R PROVINCE and COUNTRY o F PEN SILVAN! A A N D' O F Well. J 'New - 7er/ey J */'. J ' . I N m ^o & The Riehnefs of the Soil, the Sweets-Is cf the .Situation, the Whn/tTomnefs of 'fhe Air, the N.iv-?alu- Rjv. . others, the prodigious Eicre.ifi? of Corn, the flouriCutyg Condi'.ionof the: City of Phii,icit:f.hi.i, wich fhe Buildings, anther Improvftrmts there. The ilnw^c Creatures, js #wff, iw/?j, /y,' ;i feveral forts c f Minerals, J J /..r .-; x ;/ | lately dflcovered The N.ur.'?:, .vi'Wt... $*>''*', Lain, and C;//?cw j The \btj>tttch, tree<ls, .1 id ^ /////.-, w.' bitants ; A>-;jifo a "f eJ:zicn , ui h:$ fl-cond Cf, GABIUt, i. wliorcfidcd t ! . THE DEDICATION. Friend William Perm, I Here present Thee with a succinct (yet com- pleat) Account of the late Improvement, and Present State of the Noble Province, and Fertile Countrey of Pemilvauia ; with the strange things that have been found there, as the Salamander- Stone, and several others, mentioned in this Treatise; discovered since thou earnest out of those Parts. I desire Thee to excuse me for addressing to Thee, such a Plain and Peasant-like Piece; yet however homely or coarse it may appear, Thou wilt find here a true and genuine Description of that (once) obscure, tho' (now) glorious Place. So considering how generous and candid a Man Thou art, I know thou wilt bear with my weak and imperfect Performance, and accept of my good Meaning and kind Intention, which may encourage me, in time to come, to add some more Memoirs to this rough Essay of mine. Being unwilling to tire Thee with any long or tedious Epistle, I take my Leave of Thee, (Most Noble and Excellent Governor) and am Thy hearty Well-wisher, ever ready to serve Thee on all Occasions, (in the way of Truth,) Gabriel Thomas. 19 THE PREFACE. Reader, THere never having been any fair or full Account given to the World of Pensilvania, I thought the Curious wou'd be gratified with an ample Descrip- tion thereof. For tho' this Country has made little Noise in Story, or taken up but small room in Maps, yet thus much with great Justice may be said of it, that notwith- standing the Difficulties and Inconveniencies the First English Collonies met with before they ivere well settled there, yet the mighty Improvements, Additions, and Advantages that have been made lately there, are well worth Communicating to the Publick, and I am sensible they will be well received. The late Tedious, Hazardous, and Expensive War (in which England, in Conjunction with the Allies was so deeply engaged) was without doubt no small Bar or Obstacle to the Flourishing of this New Country. The great Discouragements the Traders thither lay under, (together with the frequent Capture of their Ships out and home, cou'd not chuse but baulk them in their honest Endeavours, which (now Peace is restor'd) they may pursue with greater Security and Satis- faction. 21 T H O M A S ' .V P /. X N S Y L \ ' A N I A Nor is there the least question or doubt to he made, but this Noble Spot of Earth trill thrive exceedingly, and that in a short time too, and adcance considerably to the might a Advantage of the Prevent and Future Proprietors, who hare, and are willing to gire all due Encouragement to any that shall Transport themselves thither. I con'd sat/ much here in Praise of that sweet Tract of Land, but having spoken so largely and particularly thereof in the Book it self, I shall forbear the least mention in this place. Nor trill I Anticipate or fore- stal thee, by presenting thee here with what thou wilt find there, with the greater Satisfaction. And so I bid thee heartily farewel. Gab. Thomas. 22 THE HISTORY OF Pensilvania, &c. PEnsilvania lies between the Latitude of Forty and Forty five Degrees: West- Jersey on the East, Virginia on the West, Mary-Land South, and Canada on the North. In Length three hun- dred, and in Breadth one hundred and eighty Miles. The Natives, or first Inhabitants of this Country in their Original, are suppos'd by most People to have been of the Ten Scattered Tribes, for they resemble the Jews very much in the Make of their Persons, and Tincture of their Complexions : They observe New Moons, they offer their first Fruits to a Maneto, or suppos'd Deity, whereof they have two, one, as they fansie, above (good,) another below (bad,) and have a kind of Feast of Taber- nacles, laying their Altars upon Twelve Stones, observe a sort of Mourning twelve Months, Customs of Women, and many other Rites to be toucht (here) rather than dwelt upon, because they shall be handled more at large at the latter end of this Treatise. 23 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA They are very Charitable to one another, the Lame arid the Blind (amongst them) living as well as the best ; they are also very kind and obliging to the Christians. The next that came there, were the Dutch, (who call'd the Country New Neither land) between Fifty and Sixty Years ago, and were the first Planter* in those Parts; but they made little or no Improve- ment, (applying themselves wholly to Trafique in Skins and Furs, which the Indians or Natives furnish' d them with, and which they Barter' d for Rum, Strong Liquors, and Sugar, with others, thereby gaining great Profit) till near the time of the Wars between Enylaml and Them, about Thirty or Forty Years ago. Soon after them came the Swedes and Fins, who apply' d themselves to Husbandry, and were the first Christian People that made any considerable Improvement there. There were some Disputes between these two Nations some Years, the Dutch looking upon the Swedes as Intruders upon their Purchase and Possession, which was absolutely terminated in the Surrender made by John Rizeiny, the Swedes Governour, to Peter Styreant,* Governour for the Dutch, in 1655. In the Holland War about the * So printed in the original for Stuyvesant. 24 AND WEST NEW JERSEY Year 1665. Sir Robert Carr took the Country from the Dutch for the English, and left his Cousin, Captain Carr, Governor of that place; but in a short time after, the Dutch re-took the Country from the English, and kept it in their Possession till the Peace was concluded between the English and them, when the Dutch Surrendered that Country with East and West-Jersey, New-York, (with the whole Countries belonging to that Government) to the English again. But it remain' d with very little Improvement till the Year 1681, in which William Penn Esq; had the Country given him by King Charles the Second, in lieu of Money that was due to (and signal Service done by) his Father, Sir William Penn, and from him bore the Name of Pensilvania. Since that time, the Industrious (nay Indefatig- able) Inhabitants have built a Noble and Beautiful City, and called it Philadelphia, which contains above two thousand Houses, all Inhabited; and most of them Stately, and of Brick, generally three Stories high, after the Mode in London, and as many several Families in each. There are very many Lanes and Alleys, as first, Huttons-Lane, Morris-Lane, Joneses-Lane, wherein are very good Buildings; Shorter 8- Alley, Yowers-Lane, Wallers- Alley, Turners-Lane, Sikes- Alley, and Flowers- Alley. All these Alleys and Lanes extend from the Front 25 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA Street to the Second Street. There is another Alley in the Second Street, called Carters-Alley. There are also besides these Alley* and Lanes, several fine Squares and Courts within this Magnificent City, (for so I may justly call it.) As for the particular Names of the several Street* contained therein, the Principal are as follows, viz. Walnut- Street, Vine- Street, Mulberry-Street, Chesnut-Street, Sassafras- Street, taking their Names from the abundance of those Trees that formerly grew there; High- Street, Broad- Street, Delaware- Street, Front- Street, with several of less Note, too tedious to insert here. It hath in it Three Fair* every Year, and Two Markets every Week. They kill above Twenty Fat Bullocks every Week, in the hottest time in Sum- mer, for their present spending in that City, besides many Sliee/t, Calces, and Hoys. This City is Situated between Schoolk ill- River and the great River Delaware, which derives its Name from Captain Delaware, who came there pretty early: Ships of Two or Three Hundred Tuns may come up to this City, by either of these two Rivers. Moreover, in this Province are Four Great Market-Towns^ viz. Chester, the (rerman Town, New-Castle, and Lewis-Ton- H, which are mightily Enlarged in this latter Improvement. -26- AND WEST NEW JERSEY Between these Towns, the Water-Men constantly Ply their Wherries ; likewise all those Towns have Fairs kept in them, besides there are several Country Villages, viz. Dublin, Harford, Merioneth, and Radnor in Cumbry ; all which Towns, Villages and Rivers, took their Names from the several Countries whence the present Inhabitants came. The Air here is very delicate, pleasant, and wholesom; the Heavens serene, rarely overcast, bearing mighty resemblance to the better part of France; after Rain they have commonly a very clear Sky, the Climate is something Colder in the depth of Winter, and Hotter in the height of Summer; (the cause of which is its being a Main Land or Continent; the Days also are two Hours longer in the shortest Day in Winter, and shorter by two Hours in the longest Day of Summer) than here in England, which makes the Fruit so good, and the Earth so fertil. The Corn -Harvest is ended before the middle of July, and most Years they have commonly between Twenty and Thirty Bushels of Wheat for every one they Sow. Their Ground is harrowed with Wooden Tyned Harrows, twice over in a place is sufficient; twice mending of their Plow-Irons in a Years time will serve. Their Horses commonly go without being shod; two Men may clear 27 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA between Twenty and Thirty Acres of Land in one Year, fit for the Plough, in which Oxen are chiefly us'd, though Horses are riot wanting, and of them Good and well shap'd. A Cart or a Wain may go through the middle of the Woods, between the Trees without getting any damage, and of such Land in a convenient place, the Purchase will cost between 7V// and Fifteen Pounds for a Hundred Acres.* Here is much Meadow Ground. Poor People both Men and Women, will get near three times more Wages for their Labour in this Country, than they can earn either in England or Wales. What is Inhabited of this Country, is divided into Six Counties, though there is not the Twen- tieth Part of it yet Peopled by the Christians: It hath in it several Navigable Rivers for Shipping to come in, besides the Capital Delaware, wherein a Ship of Two Hundred Tuns may Sail Two Hun- dred Miles up. There are also several other small Rivers, in number hardly Credible; these, as the Brooks, have for the most part gravelly and hard Bottoms; and it is suppos'd that there are many other further up in the Country, which are not yet discover' d; the Names of the aforesaid Rivers, are, HoorkiH-JRiver, alias Lewis Hirer, which runs up to Lewis Town, the chief eat in tinw.r. County; Cedar-River, Muskmellon-River, all taking their 28 AND WEST NEW JERSEY Names from the great plenty of these things growing thereabouts ; Mother-kill alias Dover-River, St. Jones's alias Cranbrook-River, where one John Curtice lives, who hath Three Hundred Head of Neat Beasts, besides great Numbers of Hogs, Horses, and Sheep; Great Duck-River, Little Duck- River, Black-Bird-River, these also took their Orig- inal Names from the great Numbers of those Fowls which are found there in vast quantities; Apequinemy- River, where their Goods come to be Carted over to Mary -Land. St. Georges-River, Christen-River, Brandy -Wine-River, Upland alias Chester -River, which runs by Chester-Town, being the Shire or County-Town; Schoolkill-River, Frankford-River, near which, Arthur Cook hath a most Stately Brick-House; and Nishamany -River, where Judge Growden hath a very Noble and Fine House, very pleasantly Situated, and likewise a Famous Orchard adjoyning to it, wherein are contain' d above a Thousand Apple Trees of various sorts ; likewise there is the famous Derby - River, which comes down from the Cumbry by Derby -Toicn, wherein are several Mills, viz. Ful- ling-Mills, Corn-Mills, &c. There is curious Building-Stone and Paving-Stone, also Tile- Stone, with which latter, Governor Penn covered his Great and Stately Pile, which he call'd Pennsbury -House, the Name it still retains. There 29 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA is likewise Iron-Stone or Oar, (lately found) which far exceeds that in England, being Richer and less Drossy; some Preparations have been made to carry on an Iron -Work: There is also very good Lime- Stone in great plenty, and cheap, of great use in Buildings, and also in Manuring Land, (if there were occasion) but Nature has made that of it self sufficiently Fruitful ; besides here are Load- Stones, Ising- Glass, and (that Wonder of Stones) the Salamander- Stone, found near Brandy- Wine- River, having Cotton in Veins within it, which will not consume in the Fire, though held there a long time. As to Minerals, or Metals, there is very good Copper, far exceeding ours in England, being much Finer, and of a more glorious Colour. Not two Mile from the Metropolis, are also Purging Mineral- Waters, that pass both by Siege and Urine, all out as good as Epsom : And I have reason to believe, there are good Coals also, for I observ'd, the Runs of Water have the same Colour as that which proceeds from the Coal-Mines in Wales. Here is curious Diversion in Hunting, Fishing, and Fowling, especially upon that Great and Famous River Suskahanah, which runs down quite through the heart of the Country to Mary-Land, where it makes the Head of Chesepeck-Bay, in 30 AND WEST NEW JERSEY which place there are an Infinite Number of Sea and Land Fowl, of most sorts, viz. Swans, Ducks, Teal, (which two are the most Grateful and most Delicious in the World) Geese, Divers, Brands, Snipe, Curlew ; as also Eagles, Turkies (of Forty or Fifty Pound Weight) Pheasants, Partridges, Pid- geons, Heath-Birds, Black-Birds', and that Strange and Remarkable Fowl, call'd (in these Parts) the Mocking-Bird, that Imitates all sorts of Birds in their various Notes. And for Fish, there are prodigious quantities of most sorts, viz. Shadds Cats Heads, Sheeps-Heads, Herrings, Smelts, Roach, Eels, Perch. As also the large sort of Fish, as Whales (of which a great deal of Oyl is made) Salmon, Trout, Sturgeon, Rock, Oysters, (some six Inches long) Crabs, Cockles, (some as big as Stewing Oysters of which are made a Choice Soupe or Broth) Canok and Mussels, with many other sorts of Fish, which would be too tedious to insert. There are several sorts of wild Beasts of great Profit, and good Food; viz. Panthers, Woolves, Either, Deer, Beaver, Otter, Hares, Musk-Rats, Minks, Wild Cats, Foxes, Rackoons, Rabits, and that strange Creature, the Possam, she having a false Belly to swallow her Young ones, by which means she preserveth them from danger, when any thing comes to disturb them. There are also Bears some _ o i ___ THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA Wolves, are pretty well destroy' d by the Indiana, for the sake of the Reward given them by the Christians for that Service. Here is also that Remarkable Creature the Fly ing- Squirrel, having a kind of Skinny Wings, almost like those of the Baft, though it hath the like Hair and Colour of the Common Squirrel, but is much less in Bodily Substance; I have (my self) seen it fly from one Tree to another in the Woods, but how long it can maintain its Flight is not yet exactly known. There are in the Woods abundance of Red Deer (vulgarly called Stays) for I have bought of the Indians a whole Buck, (both Skin and Carcass) for two Gills of Gunpowder. Excellent Food, most delicious, far exceeding that in Europe, in the Opinion of most that are Nice and Curious People. There are vast Numbers of other Wild Creatures, as Elks, Bufalos, &c. all which as well Beasts, Fowl, and Fish, are free and common to any Per- son who can shoot or take them, without any lett, hinderance or Opposition whatsoever. There are among other various sorts of Frogs, the BuH-Frny, which makes a roaring noise, hardly to be distinguished from that well known of the Beast, from whom it takes its Name: There is another sort of Froy that crawls up to the tops of 32 AND WEST NEW JERSEY Trees, there seeming to imitate the Notes of sev- eral Birds, with many other strange and various Creatures, which would take up too much room here to mention. Next, I shall proceed to instance in the several sorts of Wild Fruits, as excellent Grapes, Red, Black, White, Muscadel, and Fox, which upon fre- quent Experience have produc'd Choice Wine, being daily Cultivated by skilful Vinerons; they will in a short space of time, have very good Liquor of their own, and some to supply their Neighbours, to their great advantage; as these W ines are more pure, so much more wholsom ; the Brewing Trade of Sophisticating and Adulterat- ing of Wines, as in England, Holland (especially) and in some other places not being known there yet, nor in all probability will it in many Years, through a natural Probity so fixed and implanted in the Inhabitants, and (I hope) like to continue. Wallnuts, Chesnuts, Filberts, Heckery-Nuts, Hartle- berries, Mulberries, (white and black) Rasberries, Strawberries^ Cramberries, Plumbs of several sorts, and many other Wild Fruits, in great plenty, which are common and free for any to gather; to particularize the Names of them all, would take up too much time ; tire, not gratifie the Reader, and be inconsistent with the intended Brevity of this little Volume. 33 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA The common Planting Fruit-Trees, are Apples, which from a Kernel (without Inoculating) will shoot up to be a large Tree, and produce very delicious, large, and pleasant Fruit, of which much excellent Cyder is made, in taste resembling that in England press' d from Pippins and Pear- mains, sold commonly for between Ten and Fifteen Shillings per Barrel. Pears, Peaches, &c. of which they distil a Liquor much like the taste of Ruwm or Brandy, which they Yearly make in great quan- tities: There are Quinces, Cherries, Goosberries, Currants, Squashes, Pumpkins, Water-Mellons, Musk- inellons, and other Fruits in great Numbers, which seldom fail of yielding great plenty. There are also many curious and excellent Physical Wild Herbx, Roots, and Drugs of great Vertue, and very sanative, as the Sassafras, and Sarsaparilla, so much us'd in Diet-Drinks for the Cure of the Veneral Disease, which makes the Indians by a right application of them, as able Doctors and Surgeons as any in Europe, performing celebrated Cures therewith, and by the use of some particu- lar Plants only, find Remedy in all Swelling*, Burn inns, Ctifs, &c. There grows also in great plenty the Black Snake-Root, (fam'd for its some- times preserving, but often curing 1 the Plague, being infused only in Wine, Brandy or Rumm) Rattle- Snake-Root, Poke- Root, called in England Jail op, with several other beneficial Herbs, Plants 34 AND WEST NEW JERSEY and Roots, which Physicians have approved of, far exceeding in Nature and Vertue, those of other Countries. The Names of the Counties are as followeth ; First, Philadelphia County, Second, Bucks County, Third, Chester County, Fourth, New-Castle County, Fifth, Kent County, Sixth, Sussex County. The chiefest and most commodious places for raising Tobacco, as also for Breeding and Improving all sorts of Cattle, are the Counties of Kent and New- Castle ; the other chiefly depend upon Raising and Improving English Grain, of which they have a prodigious Encrease, which I have particularly instanced in the beginning of this Book, both as to their Quality and Quantity: All those Coun- ties also very much abound in all sorts of Cattle, both small and great, for the Use and Service of Man. Their sorts of Grain are, Wheat, Rye, Pease, Gates, Barley, Buck-Wheat, Rice, Indian-Corn, Indian-Pease, and Beans, with great quantities of Hemp and Flax-, as alsOi several sorts of eating Roots, as Turnips, Potatoes, Carrats, Parsnips, &c. all which are produc'd Yearly in greater quantities than in England, those Roots being much larger, and altogether as sweet, if not more delicious; Cucum- bers, Coshaws, Artichokes, with many others; most _ 2 f 99 THOMAS'S P E N N S Y L V A N T A sorts of Saladings, besides what grows naturally Wild in the Country, and that in great plenty also, as Mustard, line, Sage, Mint, Tatizy, Worm- wood, Penny -Royal and Purxlain, and most of the Herbs and Roots found in the Gardens in England. There are several Husband -Men, who sow Yearly between Seventy and Eighty Acres of Wheat each, besides Barley, Gates, Rye, Pease, Beans, and other Grain. They have commonly Two Harvests in the Year; First, of English Wheat, and next of Buck, (or French) Wheat. They have great Stocks both of Hogs and Horses, kept in the Woods, out of which, I saw a Hog kill'd, of about a Year old, which weigh' d Two Hundred weight; whose Flesh is much sweeter, and even more luscious than that in England, because they feed and fatten on the rich (though wild) Fruits, besides those fatned at home by Peaches, Cherries and Apple*. Their Horses are very hardy, insomuch that being very hot with riding or otherwise, they are turn'd out into the Woods at the same Instant, and yet receive no harm ; some Farmers have Forty, some Sixty, and from that Number to Two or Three Hundred Head of Cattle: Their Oxen usually weigh Two Hundred Pounds a Quarter. They are commonly fatter of Flesh, and yield more Tallow (by feeding only on Grass) than the Cattle -36- AND WEST NEW JERSEY in England. And for Sheep, they have consider- able Numbers which are generally free from those infectious Diseases which are incident to those Creatures in England, as the Rot, Scab, or Maggots; They commonly bring forth two Lambs at once, some twise in one Year, and the Wooll is very fine, and thick, and also very white. Bees thrive and multiply exceedingly in those Parts, the Sweeds often get great store of them in the Woods, where they are free for any Body. Honey (and choice too) is sold in the Capital City for Five Pence per Pound. Wax is also plentiful, cheap, and a considerable Commerce. Tame Fowls, as Chickens, Hens, Geese, Ducks, Turkeys, &c. are large, and very plentiful all over this Countrey. And now for their Lots and Lands in City and Countrey, in their great Advancement since they were first laid out, which was within the compass of about Twelve Years, that which might have been bought for Fifteen or Eighteen Shillings, is now sold for Fourscore Pounds in ready Silver; and some other Lots, that might have been then Purchased for Three Pounds, within the space ot Two Years, were sold for a Hundred Pounds a piece, and likewise some Land that lies near the City, that Sixteen Years ago might have been 37 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA Purchas'd for Six or Eight Founds the Hundred Acres, cannot now be bought under One Hundred and Fifty, or Two Hundred Pounds. Now the true Reason why this Fruitful Coun- trey and Florishing City advance so considerably in the Purchase of Lands both in the one and the other, is their great and extended Traffique and Commerce both by Sea and Land, viz. to New- York, New-England, Virginia, Mary-Land, Carolina, Jamaica, Barbadoes, Nevis, Monserat, Anteao, St. Cristophers, Barmudoes, New-Found-Land, Maderas, Saltetudeous, and Old-England', besides several other places. Their Merchandize chiefly consists in Horses, Pipe- Staves, Pork and Beef Salted and Barrelled up, Bread, and Flower, all sorts of Grain, Pease, Beans, Skins, Furs, Tobacco, or Pot-Ashes, Wax, &c. which are Barter' d for Rnmm, Suyar, Molasses, Silver, Negroes, Salt, Wine, Linen, Hous- hold- Goods, &c. However there still remain Lots of Land both in the aforesaid City and Country, that any may Purchase almost as cheap as they could at the first Laying out or Parcelling of either City or Country; which is, (in the Judgment of most People) the likeliest to turn to account to those that lay their Money out upon it, and in a shorter time than the aforementioned Lots and Lands -38- AND WEST NEW JERSEY that are already improved, and for several Rea- sons. In the first place, the Countrey is now well inhabited by the Christians, who have great Stocks of all sorts of Cattle, that encrease extra- ordinarily, and upon that account they are oblig' d to go farther up into the Countrey, because there is the chiefest and best place for their Stocks, and for them that go back into the Countrey, they get the richest Land, for the best lies there- abouts. Secondly, Farther into the Countrey is the Prin- cipal Place to Trade with the Indians for all sorts of Pelt, as Skins and Furs, and also Fat Venison, of whom People may Purchase cheaper by three Parts in four than they can at the City of Philadelphia. Thirdly, Backwards in the Countrey lies the Mines where is Copper and Iron, besides other Metals, and Minerals, of which there is some Im- provement made already in order to bring them, to greater Perfection ; and that will be a means to erect more Inland Market-Towns, which exceed- ingly promote Traffick. Fourthly, and lastly, Because the Countrey at the first, laying out, was void of Inhabitants (except the Heathens, or very few Christians not 39 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA worth naming) and not many People caring to abandon a quiet and easie (at least tolerable) Life in their Native Countrey (usually the most agree- able to all Mankind) to seek out a new hazardous, and careful one in a Foreign Wilderness or Desart Countrey, wholly destitute of Christian Inhab- itants, and even to arrive at which, they must pass over a vast Ocean, expos' d to some Dangers, and not a few Inconveniencies : But now all those Cares, Fears and Hazards are vanished, for the Countrey is pretty well Peopled, and very much Improv'd, and will be more every Day, now the Dove is return 1 d with the Olive-branch of Peace in her Mouth. I must needs say, even the present Encourage- ments are very great and inviting, for Poor People (both Men and Women) of all kinds, can here get three times the Wages for their Labour they can in England or Wales. I shall instance in a few, which may serve; nay, and will hold in all the rest. The first was a black- Smith, (my next Neighbour) who himself and one Negro Man he had, got Fifty Shillings in one Day, by working up a Hundred Pound Weight of Iron, which at Six Pence prr Pound (and that is the common Price in that Countrey) amounts to that Summ. 40 AND WEST NEW JERSEY And for Carpenters, both House and Ship, Brick- layers, Masons, either of these Trades-Men, will get between Five and Six Shillings every Day con- stantly. As to Journey-Men Shooe- Makers, they have Two Shillings per Pair both for Men and W omens Shooes: And Journey-Men Taylors have Twelve Shillings^/- Week and their Diet. Saw- yers get between Six and Seven Shillings the Hundred for Cutting of Pine-Boards. And for Weavers, they have Ten or Twelve Pence the Yard for Weaving of that which is little more than half a Yard in breadth. Wooll- Combers, have for combing Twelve Pence per Pound. Potters have Sixteen Pence for an Earthen Pot which may be bought in England for Four Pence. Tanners, may buy their Hides green for Three Half Pence per Pound, and sell their Leather for Twelve Pence per Pound. And Curriers have Three Shillings and Four Pence per Hide for Dressing it; they buy their Oyl at Twenty Pence per Gallon. Brick- Makers have Twenty Shillings per Thousand for their Bricks at the Kiln. Felt-Makers will have for their Hats Seven Shillings a piece, such as may be bought in England for Two Shillings a piece; yet they buy their Wooll commonly for Twelve or Fifteen Pence per Pound. And as to the Glaziers, they will have Five Pence a Quarry for their Glass. The Rule for the Coopers I have almost forgot ; but this I can affirm of some who 41 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA went from Bristol, (as their Neighbours report) that could hardly get their Livelihoods there, are now reckon'd mPensilvania, by a modest Computa- tion to be worth some Hundreds, (if not Thou sands) of Pounds. The Baker* make as White Bread as any in London, and as for their Rule, it is the same in all Parts of the World that I have been in. The Butchers for killing a Beast, have Five Shillings and their Diet ; and they may buy a good fat large Cow for Three Pounds, or there- abouts. The Breirers sell such Beer as is equal in Strength to that in London, half Ale and half Stout for Fifteen Shillings per Barrel ; and their Beer hath a better Name, that is, is in more esteem than Knalish Beer in Barbadoes, and is sold for a higher Price there. And for Silver- Smiths, they have between Half a Crown and Three Shillings an Ounce for working their Silver, and for Gold equivalent. Plasterers have commonly Eighteen Pence per Yard for Plastering. Last-Makers have Sixteen Shillings }>er dozen for their Lasts. And Heel-Makers have Two Shillings a dozen for their Heels. Wheel and Mill - Wriahts, Joy tiers, Br osiers, Pewterers, Dyers, Fullers, Comb-Makers, Wyer-Drawers, Caae-Makers, Card-Makers, Painters, Cutlers, Rope-Makers, Carvers, Block-Makers, Turners, Button-Makers^ Hair and Wood Sieve-Makers, Bodies- Makers, Gun-Smiths, Lock-Smiths, Nailers, File- C liters, Skinners, Furriers, Glovers, Patten-Makers, 42 AND WEST NEW JERSEY Watck-Makerss Clock-Makers, Sadlers, Colter-Makers, Barbers, Printers, Book-Binders, and all other Trades-Men, their Gains and Wages are about the same proportion as the forementioned Trades in their Advancements, as to what they have in England. Of Lawyers and Physicians I shall say nothing, because this Countrey is very Peaceable and Healt[h]y ; long may it so continue and never have occasion for the Tongue of the one, nor the Pen of the other, both equally destructive to Mens Estates and Lives; besides forsooth, they, Hang- Man like, have a License to Murder and make Mischief. Labouring-Men have commonly here, between 14 and 15 Pounds a Year, and their Meat, Drink, Washing and Lodging; and by the Day their Wages is generally between Eighteen Pence and Half a Crown, and Diet also ; But in Harvest they have usually between Three and Four Shil- ling each Day, and Diet. The Maid Servants Wages is commonly betwixt Six and Ten Pounds per Annum, with very good Accommodation. And for the Women who get their Livelihood by their own Industry, their Labour is very dear, for I can buy in London a Cheese-Cake for Two Pence, bigger than theirs at that price, when at the same time their Milk is as cheap as we can buy it in London, and their Flour cheaper by one half. 43 THOMAS'S P E N N S V L V A N I A Corn and Flesh, and what else serves Man for Drink, Food and Rayment, is much cheaper here than in England ^ or elsewhere; but the chief rea- son why Wages of Servants of all sorts is much higher here than there, arises from the great Fer- tility and Produce of the Place; besides, if these large Stipends were refused them, they would quickly set up for themselves, for they can have Provision very cheap, and Land for a very small matter, or next to nothing in comparison of the Purchace of Lands in England \ and the Farmers there, can better afford to give that great Wages than the Farmers in England- can, for several Reasons very obvious. As First, their Land costs them (as 1 said but just now) little or nothing in comparison, of which the Farmers commonly will get twice the encrease of Corn for every Bushel they sow, that the Farmers in England can from the richest Land they have. In the Second place, they have constantly good price for their Corn, by reason of the great and quick vent into Barbadoes and other Islands; through which means Silrer is become more plen- tiful than here in Engl-and^ considering the Number of People, and that causes a quick Trade for both Corn and Cattle; and that is the reason 44 AND WEST NEW JERSEY that Corn differs now from the Price formerly, else it would be at half the Price it was at then ; for a Brother of mine (to my own particular knowledge) sold within the compass of one Week, about One Hundred and Twenty fat Beasts, most of them good handsom large Oxen. Thirdly, They pay no Tithes, and their Taxes are inconsiderable; the Place is free for all Persua- sions, in a Sober and Civil way ; for the Church of England and the Quakers bear equal Share in the Government. They live Friendly and Well together ; there is no Persecution for Religion, nor ever like to be; 'tis this that knocks all Commerce on the Head, together with high Imposts, strict Laws, and cramping Orders. Before I end this Paragraph, I shall add another Reason why Womens Wages are so exorbitant ; they are not yet very numerous, which makes them stand upon high Terms for their several Services, in Sempster- ing, Washing, Spinning, Knitting, Sewing, and in all the other parts of their Imployments ; for they have for Spinning either Worsted or Linen, Two Shillings a Pound, and commonly for Knitting a very Course pair of Yarn Stockings, they have half a Crown a pair ; moreover they are usually Marry' d before they are Twenty Years of Age, and when once in that Noose, are for the most part a little uneasie, and make their Husbands so 45 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA too, till they procure them a Maid Servant to bear the burden of the Work, as also in some measure to wait on them too. It is now time to return to the City of Brotherly - Love (for so much the Greek Word or Name Ph iladel- phici imports) which though at present so obscure, that neither the Map-Makers, nor Geographers have taken the least notice of her, tho she far exceeds * Thirty her Namesake of Li/flia,* (having above Two German Thousand Noble Houses for her Five Hundred Miles from Smyrna. Ordinary) or Celixia, or Ccelesyria ; yet in a very short space of time she will, in all probability, make a fine Figure in the World, and be a most Celebrated Emporeum. Here is lately built a Noble Town-House or Guild-Hall, also a Handsom Market-House, and a convenient Prison. The Number of Christians both Old and Young Inhabiting in that Countrey, are by a Modest Computation, adjudged to amount to above Twenty Thousand. The Laws of this Countrey, are the same with those in Enyl(tn<l\ our Constitution being on the same Foot: Many Disputes and Differences are determined and composed by Arbitration ; and all Causes are decided with great Care and Expedi- tion, being concluded (generally) at furthest at the Second Court, unless they happen to be very -46- AND WEST NEW JERSEY Nice and Difficult Cases; under Forty Shillings any one Justice of the Peace has Power to Try the Cause. Thieves of all sorts, are oblig'd to restore four fold after they have been Whipt and Im- prison'd, according to the Nature of their Crime; and if they be not of Ability to restore four fold, they must be in Servitude till 'tis satisfied. They have Curious Wharfs as also several large and fine Timber- Yards, both at Philadelphia, and New- Castle, especially at the Metropolis, before Robert Turner's Great and Famous House, where are built Ships of considerable Burthen; they Cart their Goods from that Wharf into the City of Philadelphia, under an Arch, over which part of the Street is built, which is called Chesnut- Street Wharf, besides other Wharfs, as High-Street Wharf, Mulberry -Street Wharf, and Vine-Street Wharf, and all those are Common Wharfs ; and likewise there are very pleasant Stairs, as Trus and Carpenter- Stairs, besides several others. There are above Thirty Carts belonging to that City, Four or Five Horses to each. There is likewise a very conven- ient Wharf called Carpenter's Wharf, which hath a fine necessary Grain belonging to it, with suit- able Granaries, and Store-Houses. A Ship of Two Hundred Tun may load and unload by the side of it, and there are other Wharfs (with Magazines and Ware-Houses) which front the City all along the River, as also a Curious and Commodious 47 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA Dock with a Draw-Bridge to it, for the convenient Reception of Vessels ; where have been built some Ships of Two or Three Hundred Tuns each : They have very Stately Oaks to build Ships with, some of which are between Fifty and Sixty Foot long, and clear from Knots, being very straight and well Grain' d. In this famous City of Philadelphia there are several Ropr-Mnkew, who have large and curious Rope- Walk* especially one Joseph Wilcox. Also Three or Four Spacious Malt-Houses, as many large Brew-Houses^ and many handsom Bake-Houses for Publick Use. In the said City are several good Schools of Learning for Youth, in order to the Attainment of Arts and Sciences, as also Reading, Writing, &c. Here is to be had on any Day in the Week, Tarts, Pies, (Jakes, &c. We have also several Cooks- Shops, both Roasting and Boyling, as in the City of London', Bread, Beer, Beef, and Pork, are sold at any time much cheaper than in England (which arises from their Plenty) our Wheat is very white and clear from Tares, making as good and white Bread as any in Kuro-pp. Happy Blessings, for which we owe the highest Gratitude to our Plen- tiful Provider, the great Creator of Heaven and Earth. The Water-Mills far exceed those in England, both for quickness and grinding good Meal, their being great choice of good Timber, 48 AND WEST NEW JERSEY and earlier Corn than in the aforesaid Place, they are made by one Peter Deal, a Famous and Ingen- ious Workman, especially for inventing such like Machines. All sorts of very good Paper are made in the German-Town; as also very fine German Linen, such as no Person of Quality need be asham'd to wear; and in several places they make very good Druggets, Crapes, Camblets, and Serges, besides other Woollen Cloathes, the Manufacture of all which daily improves : And in most parts of the Countrey there are many Curious and Spacious Buildings, which several of the Gentry have erected for their Country -Houses. As for the Fruit-Trees they Plant, they arrive at such Per- fection, that they bear in a little more than half the time that they commonly do in England. The Christian Children born here are generally well-favoured, and Beautiful to behold; I never knew any come into the World with the least blemish on any part of its Body, being in the general, observ'd to be better Natur'd, Milder, and more tender Hearted than those born in England. There are very fine and delightful Gardens and Orchards, in most parts of this Countrey; but Edward Shippey (who lives near the Capital City) 49 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA has an Orchard and Gardens adjoyning to his Great House that equalizes (if not exceeds) any 1 have ever seen, having a very famous and pleas- ant Summer-House erected in the middle of his extraordinary fine and large Garden abounding with Tulips, Pinks, Carnations, Roses, (of several sorts) Lilies, not to mention those that grow wild in the Fields. Reader, what 1 have here written, is not a Fic- tion, Flam, Whim, or any sinister Design, either to impose upon the Ignorant, or Credulous, or to curry Favour with the Rich and Mighty, but in meer Pity and pure Compassion to the Numbers of Poor Labouring Men, Women, and Children in England, half starv'd, visible in their meagre looks, that are continually wandering up and down looking for Employment without finding any, who here need not lie idle a moment, nor want due Encouragement or Reward for their Work, much less Vagabond or Drone it about. Here are no Beggars to be seen (it is a Shame and Disgrace to the State that there are so many in England) nor indeed have any here the least Occa- sion or Temptation to take up that Scandalous Lazy Life. Jealousie among Men is here very rare, and Barrenness among Women hardly to be heard of, 50 AND WE STNEW JERSEY nor are old Maids to be met with; for all com- monly Marry before they are Twenty Years of Age, and seldom any young Married Woman but hath a Child in her Belly, or one upon her Lap. What I have deliver'd concerning this Province, is indisputably true, I was an Eye- Witness to it all, for I went in the first Ship that was bound from England for that Countrey, since it received the Name of Pensilvania, which was in the Year 1681. The Ship's Name was the John and Sarah of London, Henry Smith Commander. 1 have declin'd giving any Account of several things which I have only heard others speak of, because I did not see them my self, for I never held that way infallible, to make Reports from Hear -say. I saw the first Cellar when it was digging for the use of our Governour Will. Penn. I shall now haste to a Conclusion, and only hint a little concerning the Natives or Aborigines, their Persons, Language, Manners, Religion and Govern- ment \ Of Person they are ordinarily Tall, Straight, well-turn' d, and true Proportion'd; their Tread strong and clever, generally walking with a lofty Chin. Of Complexion Black, but by design, Gypsie-like, greasing themselves with Bears-Fat Clarified, and using no defence against the Injuries of the Sun and Weather, their Skins fail 51 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA not to be Swarthy. Their Eye* are small and black. Thick Lips and flat AW* so frequent with Negroes and East Indian^ are rare with them. They have Comely Faces and Tolerable Complex- ions, some of their Now* having a rise like the Roman. Their Language is Lofty and Elegant, but not Copious; One Word serveth in the stead of Three, imperfect and ungrammatical, which defects are supply' d by the Understanding of the Hearers. Stce,et, of Noble Sound and Accent. Take here a Specimen. Hodi hita nee huska a peechi, nee, machi Pensilvania huska dogwachi, keshow a peechi Nowa, huska hayly, Chetena koon peo. Thus in English. Farewel Friend, I will very quickly go to Pensilvania, very cold Moon will come presently, And very great hard frosts will come quickly. I might Treat largely of their Customs and Man- ners, but that will not agree with my proposed Brevity. As soon as their Children are born, they wash them in cold Water, especially in cold Weather. To harden and embolden them, they plunge them 52 AND WEST NEW JERSEY in the River; they find their Feet early, usually at Nine Months they can go. The Boys Fish till Fifteen, then Hunt, and having given proof of their Manhood, by a large return of Skins, they may Marry (else 'tis ashame to think of a Wife) which is usually at the Age of Seventeen or Eighteen ; the Girls stay with their Mothers, and help to hoe the Ground, Plant Corn, bear Bur- dens, and Marry about Thirteen or Fourteen. J Their Houses are Matts, or Barks of Trees set on Poles, Barn -like, not higher than a Man, so not expos' d to Winds. They lie upon Reeds or Grass In Travel they lodge in the Woods about a great Fire, with the Mantle of Duffils they wear wrapk about them, and a few Boughs stuck round them. They live chiefly on Maze, or Indian Corn rosted in the Ashes, sometimes beaten and boy I'd with Water, called Homine. They have Cakes, not unpleasant ; also Beans and Pease, which Nourish much, but the Woods and Rivers afford them their Provision ; they eat Morning and Evening ; their Seats and Tables are the Ground ; they are reserv'd, apt to resent and retain long: Their Women are Chaste (at least after Marriage) and when with Child, will not admit of their Hus- bands Embraces any more till Deliver'd. Exceed- ing Liberal and Generous; Kind and Affable; 53 THOMAS S PENNSYLVANIA uneasie in Sickness, to remedy which, they drink a Decoction of Roots in Spring- Water, forbearing Flesh, which if they happen to eat, it must be the Female; they commonly bury their Kettles and part of their Goods with their Friends when they die, suspecting (poor Soulsj they shall make use of them again at the Resurrection. They Mourn a whole Year, but it is no other than blacking their Faces. Their Government is Monarchical, and Suc- cessive, and ever of the Mothers (the surest) side, to prevent a Spurious Issue. The Distaff (as in France) is excluded the Regal Inheritance. Their Princes are Powerful, yet do nothing without the Concurrence of their Senate, or Councils, consist- ing chiefly of Old, but mixt with Young Men; slow and deliberate, (Spaniard-like) in resolving, naturally wise, and hardly to be out-witted. Their Punishments are Pecuniary. Murder may- be aton'd for by Feasts and Presents, in Propor- tion to the Quality of the Offence, Person, or Sex injur'd; for if a Woman be kill'd, the Mulct is double, because she brings forth Children. They seldom quarel, when Sober, and if Boozy, (which of late they are more apt to be, having learn' d to drink, a little too much Rum of the Christians, to their shame) they readily pardon it, alledging the Liquor is Criminal not the Man. 54 AND WEST NEW JERSEY The way of Worship the Siveeds use in this Countrey, is the Lutheran ; the English have four sorts of Assemblies or Religious Meetings here; as first, The Church of England, who built a very fine Church in the City of Philadelphia in the Year 1695. Secondly, the Anabaptists: Thirdly, the Presbyterians, and two sorts of Quakers (of all the most numerous by much) one Party held with George Keith ; but whether both Parties will joyn together again in one I cannot tell, for that Gen- tleman hath alter' d his Judgment since he came to England, concerning his Church-Orders in Pensilvania, by telling and shewing them Precepts that were lawful in the time of the Law, but forbidden under the Gospel to pay Tithes, or Ministers to Preach for Hire, &c. As also to sprinkle Infants; and he tells the Presbyterian Minister, That he must go to the Pope of Rome for his Call, for he had no Scripture for it, and that Water-Baptism and the Outward Supper are not of the Nature of the Everlasting Gospel; nor essential Parts of it, see his Truth Advanced page 173. He gives likewise a strict Charge concerning plain Language and plain Habit, and that they should not be concern' d in the compelling part of the Worldly Government, and that they should set their Negroes at Liberty after some reasonable time of Service; likewise, they should not take the Advantage of the Law against one another, 55 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA as to procure them any Corporeal Punishment: These Orders he tells his Followers, would make Distinction between them and Jews and Moral Heathens, this was in the Year 1698. in Pensil- vania: But now the Year 1697. since he came to England, his Judgment is chang'd, for he tells his Disciples, that Water-Baptism is come in the room of Circumcision; and by so doing, they would distinguish themselves from either Jews, Pagans, or Moral Heat hem : He keeps his Meeting once a Week at Turners-Hall in Fill-Pot-Lane, London, on Sundays in the Afternoon; he begins between Two and Three of the Clock and com- monly ends between Four and Five. Friendly Reader, by this thou mayst see how wavering and mutable Men of great Outward Learning are, if the Truth of this be by any Body question' d, let them look in the Creed, and the Paper against Christians being concerned in Worldly Government, and the Paper concerning Negroes, that was given forth by the Appointment of the Meet- ing held by Gmrye Krith at Philip James's House in the City of Philadelphia, in Pensilvania; and his Letter also in Mary-Land against the Presbyterian Catechism, Printed at Boston in New-England in 1695. with the Answer to it bound up together in one Book and in Truth Advanced, page 1 73. And for what relates to him since in England, let them -56- AND WEST NEW JERSEY look into the Quakers Argument Refuted, Concern- ing Water-Baptism and the Lord's Supper, page 70. And now Reader, I shall take my leave of thee, recommending thee with my own self to the Directions of the Spirit of God in our Conscience, and that will agree with all the Holy Scriptures in its right place ; and when we find our selves so, we have no need to take any Thought or Care what any Body shall say of us. The End of the History of Pensilvania. 57 : COUNTRY We ft -New -Jerfey 1 N AMERICA, A lliortView of their -Laxs, Cujloms zndj%stig:on'..A9 nlfo the TtmrcTitrn&it of the Air zndt<mate , The is of theSci/, v/iti:the ^ft Produce of /^"ce, 3cc. / -tiprovca-.cnt of their Lands (as in ILngland) to i^ftnfe, Sec. Their making great quantf- :;v5 of Fitch and 7^v as ,i!fo Turpentine, W^j'ch pro- reed* fro . witli ;(.{? af c "'trn-Ar.:- ' their - . , . ! I-'.)MAS To the Right Honourable Sir John Moor, Sir Thomas Lane, Knights and Aldermen of the City of Lon- don, and to the rest of the Worthy Members of the West-Jersey Proprietors. Worthy Friends, TO whom can the History of West- Jersey with more Justice pertain, than to you the Noble and Generous Proprietors. That was the chief Motive that inclin'd me to this Dedication, which I hope will be the more acceptable to you, because the Account of that Country is so Sincere and Candid. I have endeavour'd (by setting forth) the great Encouragements there are) to persuade the Poor, the Idle, the Lazy, & the Vagabonds of these Kingdoms and of Wales to hasten thither, that they may live plentifully and happily, and I doubt not but they will hearken to it, because it is their true Interest. I have done my best endeav- ours to possess them and others of the great Fertility and Plenty in those Parts, which I need not repeat to you, who must needs be well acquainted with the State of that Place. That it may Flourish and mightily tend to your Advan- tage, as also to the Benefit of England, the hearty desire of your Friend, Gabriel Thomas. 61 THE PREFACE TO THE READER. Courteous Reader, MY Chief Design in writing this short Account of West-New-Jersey, is to inform all (but espe- cially the Poor) what Ample and Happy Livelihoods People may gain in those Parts, whereby they may subsist very well without either Begging or Stealing, for if they Steal, they are Whipt, and oblig'd to pay Four Fold; and if they are not of Ability to do that, they must abide in Servitude till they have made Satis- faction to the injur'd Person : And if they should be Lazy and turn to Beg, they will get nothing by that Base and Scandalous Imployment; But if they be so Poor that they have not of their own to supply their Wants and Necessities, nor are able to Work, they will have no need to Beg, for People out of their own free Compassion and pure Charity will relieve them in their Necessities. Now if this were all, (though it is not] it wou'd be a sufficient Encouragement to the Idle, the Sloathful, and the Vagabonds of England, Scotland, and Ireland to hasten thither, where besides this, they have a fair prospect of getting considerable Estates, at least of living very Plentifully and Happily, which -63- THOMAS'S P E N N S Y L V A N I A Medium of Life is far better than lingering out their Days so miserably Poor and half Starved ; or Whip- ping, Burning, and Hanging for Villanies, they will have little Temptation, nay or Inclination to perpe- trate here. The French Refugees or Protestant People, wou'd soon find it their Interest to remove thither, where they wou'd live for better than in Ger- many, Holland, Ireland or England. Written by one who earnestly wisheth thy Well/are and Pros- perity in the ways of the Lord, and then thou canst not do amiss in this World. Gab. Thomas -6 4 - THE HISTORY OF If^est- WEst-New-Jersey lies between the Latitude of Forty, and Forty two Degrees ; having the Main Sea on the South, East-Jersey on the North, Hudson's Bay on the East, and Pensilvania on the West. The first Inhabitants of this Countrey were the Indians, being supposed to be part of the Ten dispersed Tribes of Israel; for indeed they are very like the Jews in their Persons, and something in their Practices and Worship, for they (as the Pensilvanian Indians) observe the New Moons with great Devotion, and Reverence: And their first Fruits they offer, with their Corn and Hunting- Game they get in the whole Year, to a False Deity or Sham -God, whom they must please, else (as they fancy) many Misfortunes will befal them, and great Injuries will be done them. When they bury their Dead, they put into the Ground with them some House-Utensils, and some Money, (as Tokens of their Love and Affection) with other Things, expecting they shall have Occasion for -65- THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA them again in the other World. And if a Person of Note dies very far from the Place of his own Residence they will carry his Bones home some considerable time after, to be buried there. They are also very curious, nay, even nice in preserving and repairing the Graves of their Dead. They do not love to be asked twice their Judgment about one Thing. They are a People who generally delight much in Mirth, and are very studious in observing the Vertues of Roots and Herb*, by which they cure themselves of many Distempers in their Bodies, both internal or ex[t|ernal. They will not suffer their Beards to grow; for they will pluck the Hair oft with their own Fingers as soon as they can get hold of it, holding it great Deformity to have a Beard. They are very loving to one another ; for if three or four of them come into a Christian's House, and the Master of it happen to give one of them Victuals, and none to the rest, he will divide it into equal Shares among them : And they are also very kind and civil to any of the Christians; for I my self have had Victuals cut by them in their Cabbins, before they took any for themselves. Their chief Imployment is in Hunting, Fishing, and Fowling, and making Canows, or Indian Boats and Bowls, in all which Arts they are very dexterous and ingenious: Their Worn ens Business chiefly consists in plant- ing of Indian Corn, and pounding it to Meal, in -66- Mortars, with Pestils, (as we beat our Spice) and make Bread, and dress their Victuals, which they perform very neatly and cleanlily. They also make Indian Matt;, Ropes, Hats, and Baskets, (some of curious Workmanship) of their Hemp, which there grows wild, and Natural, in the Woods, in great Plenty. In short, the Women are very ingenious in their several Imployments as well as the Men. Their young Maids are naturally very modest and shamefac'd: And their young Women when newly married, are very nice and shy, and will not suffer the Men to talk of any immodest or lascivious Matters. Their Houses are, for the most part, cover' d with Chesnutt Bark, but very close, and warm, insomuch that no Rain can go through. Their Age in Computation may be compared with the Christians. Their wearing Habit is commonly Deer- Skins, or Duffles. They don't allow of mentioning the Name of a Friend after his Death; for at his Decease, they make their Face black all over with black Lead ; and when their Affairs go well with them, they paint their Faces with red Lead, it being a Token of their Joy, as the other is of their Grief. They are great Observers of the Weather by the Moon. They take great Delight in Cloaths of various Colours. And are so punctual that if any go from their first Offer or Bargain with them, it will be very difficult for that Party to get any Dealings -67- THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA with them any more, or to have any farther Con- verse with them ; And moreover it is worthy of Remark, that when a Company of them are got together, they never interrupt or contradict one another, 'till two of them have made an end of their Discourse; for if never so many be in Com- pany only two must discourse at a time, and the rest must keep Silence. The English and they live very peaceably, by reason the English satisfies them for their Land. As to the manner of their Language, it is high and lofty, with a Short Sentence. Their way of counting is by Tens, as to say Two Tens, Three Tens, Four Tens, Five Tens, &c. I shall now proceed to show something of the manner and way of Discourse that happens between them and the Neighbouring Christians that use to deal and traffick with them, or when they meet one another in the Woods accidentally, one a looking for his Cattel, and the other a Hunting the Wild Deer, or other Game, by way of Questions and Answers. 1 shall put the Indian Tongue on one side of the Leaf, and the English just opposite.* Their Discourse is as followeth. * In the original edition two English sentences have no Indian equivalents, and the Indian questions and answers do not corre- spond to their translation. In this reprint the vagary has been adjusted. 68 AND WEST NEW JERSEY The Indian Tongue. Quest. Hitah toko- man ? Anew. weekin. Quest. Andogowa nee The English of it. Quest, Friend, from whence com'st? Answ. Yonder. Tony ando- Quest. Where yonder? yowa kee weekin ? Answ. Ar way mouse. Quest. Keco kee hatah kee iceekin ? Answ. Nee hatah huska wees youse og huska che- tena chase og huska orit chekenip. Quest. Chingo kee leto nee chase og youse etka chekenip. Answ. Hatopa etka nisha kishquicka. Quest. Keco kee hata kee weekin ? Answ. Nee hata orit poonk og huska horit Answ. My House. Quest. Where is thy House? Answ. Arwaymouse, which is the Name of an Indian Town. Quest. What hast got in thy House? Answ. I have very fat Venison, and good strong Skins, with very good Turkeys. Quest. When wilt thou bring me Skins and Venison, with Tur- keys? Answ. Tomorrow, or two days hence. Quest. What hast thou got in thy House? Answ. I have good Powder, and very good -69- THOMAS'S P E N N S Y L V A N I A haloons etka neskec oy marchkec ochqueon. (0 huskia orit.J Quest. Kee namen ne- skec kabaij oy marchkec moos etka opey meals ? Answ. Mat a namen megis nee namen neskec kabay undoywa tekany. Quest. Kef namen marchkec moos undogwa tekeny ? Answ. Moyy. Quest. Kee sqna oy enychan liatnh ? Answ. Moyy. Quest. Kacha kaiah ? Answ. Neit. Quest. Benoingtid etka squatid ? Answ. Nisha benoin- fid oy nuha xquatiri. Quest. Tonntid rny- chan hatah ? Answ. Moyy. Quest. Etka aroosiae ? Answ. Neo fcishow. Shot, with red and blue Machcots. (Very well.) Quest. Did' st t h o u see black Horses and red Cows, with white Sheep? Amir. I saw no Sheep : 1 did see black Horses yonder in the Woods ( Quest. Did'st see red Cows yonder in the Woods? Ansic. Yes. Quest. Hast thou a Wife and Children? A us ic. Yes. Quest. How many hast? Answ. Four. Qitfsf. Boys or Girls? Anstr. Two Boys and two Girls. Quest. Hast got a young Child? An sir. Yes. Quest. How old? Answ. Four months. AND WEST NEW JERSEY Quest. Etka aroosise Quest. How old art kee? thou? Answ. Pelenacheenc- Answ. Fifty years kan katingan aroosis. old. In the next Place I shall give an account of their way in counting or numbering ; which is as followeth. The Indian Counting. The English to it. Kooty nisha nacha neo One, Two, Three, pelenach Kootash nishash Four, Five, Six, Seven, choesh peskonk telen. Eight, Nine, Ten. Nishinchkan nachinch- Twenty, Thirty, For- kan neochinchkan pelen- ty, Fifty, &c. chinchkan. The Names of some of the Indians. Anachkootiny, Bussabenating, Okonycan, Potasko, Quindamen, Lames, Alpoonyan, Kohonk, Hiton, Temeny. The Dutch and Sweeds inform us that they are greatly decreased in number to what they were when they came first into this Country : And the Indians themselves say, that two of them die to every one Christian that comes in here. Reader, 1 shall not insist any farther upon this Subject, because what is deficient or short here, is inserted 71 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA already in the preceding History of I for tlie Natives both of that, as well as of this Country, speak the same Language, and live after the same manner; for my chief aim, in the next place, is to acquaint thee how, and after what manner the Christians live there And 1 hope 1 have pleased thee so far, as it may prove a means to encourage me to give a larger Description here- after. The next who came there were the Dutch ; which was between Forty and Fifty Years agoe, though they made but very little Improvement, only built Two or Three Houses, upon an Island (called since by the English) Stacies- Island', and it remained so, till about the Year 1675. in which King Churles the Second (or the Duke of York (his Brother) gave the Countrey to Edward Billiny, in whose time, one Major Fenwick went thither, with some others, and built a pretty Town, and call'd it Salam ; and in a few Years after a Ship from London, and another from //////, sail'd thither with more People, who went higher up into the Countrey, and built there a Town, and called it Burlington, which is now the chiefest Town in that Countrey, though Salam is the ancientest; and a fine Market -Town it is, having several Faint kept yearly in it; likewise well furnished with good store of most Necessaries for humane Support, as 72 AND WEST NEW JERSEY Bread, Beer, Beef, and Pork; as also Butter and Cheese, of which they freight several Vessels, and send them to Barbadoes, and other Islands. There are very many fine stately Brick-Houses built, and a commodious Dock for Vessels to come in at, and they claim equal Privilege with Burling- ton for the sake of Antiquity; tho' that is the principal Place, by reason that the late Governor Cox, who bought that Countrey of Edward Billing, encouraged and promoted that Town chiefly, in settling his Agents and Deputy -Governors there, (the same Favours are continued by the New-West- Jersey Society, who now manage Matters there) which brings their Assemblies and chief Courts to be kept there ; and, by that means it is become a very famous Town, having a great many stately Brick-Houses in it, (as I said before) with a delicate great Market- House, where they keep their Market : It hath a noble and spacious Hall over-head, where their Sessions is kept, having the Prison adjoining to it. Likewise in the said Town there are very many fine Wharfs and large Timber-Yards, Malt-Houses, Brew-Houses, Bake- Houses ; and most sorts of Trades-Men, (whose Wages are upon the same Foot with the Pensilvanians) viz. C loath- Workers, who make very good Serges, Druggets, Crapes, Cam- 73 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA blets, (part Silk or Worsted, and part Camels Hair) and good Plushes, with several other Woollen Cloathfts, besides Linnen. There are many Fair and Great Brick Houses on the outside of the Town which the Gentry have built there for their Countrey Houses, besides the Great and Stately Palace of John Tate- ham Esq; which is pleasantly Situated on the North side of the Town, having a very fine and delightful Garden and Orchard adjoyning to it, wherein is variety of Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers; as Hoses, Tit lips, July -Flowers, Sun -Flowers (that open and shut as the Sun Rises and Sets, thence taking their Name) Carnations, and many more ; besides abundance of Medicinal Roots Herbs, Plants, and Flowers, found wild in the Fields. There are kept also in this Famous Town sev- eral Fairs every Year; and as for Provisions, viz. Bread, Beer, Beef, Pork, Cheese, Butter, and most sorts of Fruit here is great Plenty and very Cheap; all those Commodities are to be bought every Market- Day. A Ship of Four Hundred Tuns may Sail up to this Town in the River Delaware; for I my self have been on Board a Ship of that Burthen there : And several fine Ships and Vessels (besides Gov- 74 AND WEST NEW JERSEY eraour COX'B own great Ship) have been built there. There are also two handsom Bridges to come in and out of the Town, called London and York- Bridges. The Town stands in an Island, the Tide flowing quite round about it. There are Water- Men who constantly Ply their Wherry Boats from that Town to the City of Philadelphia in Pensil- vania, and to other places. Besides there is Glocester-Toivu, which is a very Fine and Pleasant Place, being well stor'd with Summer Fruits, as Cherries, Mulberries, and Strawberries, whither Young People come from Philadelphia in the Wherries to eat Stra[w]berries and Cream, within sight of which City it is sweetly Situated, being but about three Miles distance from thence. There are several Meetings of Worship in this Country, viz. the Presbi/terians, Quakers, and Ana- baptists: Their Privilege as to Matter of Law, is the same both for Plaintiff' and Defendant, as in England. The Air is very Clear, Sweet and Wholesom; in the depth of Winter it is something colder, and as much hotter in the heighth of Summer than in England. Commonly (with them) the Days differ two Hours in length from ours here. The longest 75 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA Day in Summer is shorter by two Hours than the longest Day in England, and the shortest Day longer by two Hours than with us here. As for Corn, they have Wheat, Rye, Pease, Oates, Barley, Rice, &c. in vast quantities: Also Indian- Corn, Pease and Beans, likewise English Hemp and Flax, which prospers there exceedingly. Eating Roots, Pumpkins, Cashews, Water-Melons^ Muskmel- lons, Cucumbers, Squashes, Carrots, Artichokes, Potatoes, Turnips, Garlic k, Onions, and Leeks grow there in greater Plenty than in En[a]land. And for Herbs, they have Cabbages, Coleworts, Savoys, Lettice, Purslane, and other Sallads in abun- dance; beside Wild Herbs which are there very commom [sic], as Penny-Royal, Mint, Mustard, Sane, Rue, Tansey, &c. and likewise there are choice Phisical Roots, as Sassafras, Sarsaparilla, Black- Snake -Root, Rattle- Snake Root, and Poake-Root, with divers others, which there is great store of. Of Fish, they have Whales, Sturyeon, Cod, Scale- Fish, Cole and Hake-Fish, large Mackeril, Flatfish, Rock, Shadds, Cattes, Eels, Perch, and many other sorts in prodigious Shoals: And Wild- Water- Fowl, as Geese, Ducks, Swans, Divers, &c. are very numerous, even beyond all expectation. As to Land-Fowl, Turkeys, Geese, Pheasants, Partridges, *, Woodcocks, Blackbirds, &c. they are there in -76- AND WEST NEW JERSEY extraordinary great abundance, and very large. There is also that uncommon and valuable Bird (being near the bigness of a Cuckoo) called the Mocking-bird (known, but not very well in England, being so very Nice and Tender, that they usually die by the way) with several other Charming and Curious Birds, too tedious here to specific. As to the Wild Vermin, There are Otters, Beavers, Foxes, Mush-Rats Minx's, Wild-Cats, Rackoons, Poll- cats, and also that cunning Creature the Possom, particularly mention' d and distinguish' d in the annex' d Account of Pensilvania for its remarkable Qualities, whither I refer the Reader, not in the least being fond of Tautology. This Creature is about the bigness of an English Cat, being of a light gray colour. Likewise there were some Wolves and Bears, but now they are very rare to be seen, by reason the Indians destroy them (as before). Also that strange Creature the Flying Squirril, mention' d in the foregoing Book. There are great numbers of Wild Deer, and Red Deer also ; and these wild Creatures are free and common for any to kill and take. And for Wild Fruits, there are Chesnuts, Filberts, Hickery-Nuts, Grapes, Mul- berries, Strawberries, Rasberries, Huckleberries, and Craneberries, with several sorts of Plumbs, and all those Fruits in great plenty being free for any Body to gather. THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA Now I am a coming to the Planted Fruit-Trees, as Apples, Pears, Apriwks, (guinea*, Plumbs, Cher- ries, Gooseberries, Currants, and ^caches, from which last they distil a liquor as in Pensilvania, much like Jin nun or Bram///, in the taste; and all those Trees will come to bear in a little more than half the time, they do in Knyltind, the Soil is so rich ; they have great plenty of the aforementioned Fruits, which are exceeding delicious. These, as also many other Fruits that come not to any pitch of Perfection in Knyhml^ are the Natural Product of this Country, which lies warmer, being more befriended by the Sun's hot and glorious Beams, which without doubt is the chief Cause and true Reason, why the Fruit there so far excells the Enf/Iish. They have likewise great Stocks of Horses and Hoys, raised in the Woods; of the latter of which I have seen some of a Prodigious Weight that only fed there, their Horses are very hardy, strong, and of good Spirit for Labour or Travelling; they commonly go unshod (which in many Years saves much Money). Their Plow- shears require but small Reparation, wearing out but little. They Hnn-oic their Ground with a Wooden-tyned Harrow, and twice over does the business. Of Bees also they are well provided, & abound in Sheep naturally very sound, and that stand -78- AND WEST NEW JERSEY well, the Rot, Scab, Maggots, &c. rarely invading them ; they usually bring forth two Lambs at once, and their Wooll is very fine, white, and thick; they have great Stocks of Cattle, as Cows, Oxen, &c. Their Oxen commonly weigh well. Tame Fowl there are (almost) incredible in num- bers, viz. Geese, Turkeys, Hens, &c. In this Country also is great Plenty of working Timber, as Oaks, Ash, Chesnuts, Pine, Cedar, Wal- nut, Poplar, Firr, and Masts for Ships, with Pitch and Rosin, of great Use and much Benefit to the Countrey. Here are several good Navigable Rivers, besides that famous River Delaware (which 1 have mentioned elsewhere, and where the Tobacco is excellent) being deep enough for Vessels to come in: First Prince Morise's River, where the S weeds used to kill the Geese in great numbers, for their Feathers (only) leaving their Carcasses behind them; Cohansey River, by which they send great store of Cedar to Philadelphia -City, Allaway -River; Solam-River, which runs by Salam-Town (of great- est Antiquity ;) Naman-River, Rackcoon- River, which had its Name from the great numbers of those Creatures that always abound thereabouts; Old Man's River; Manto- River; Woodberry- River; Great Eggharbor River (up which a Ship of two or three hundred Tuns may sail) which runs by the back 79 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA part of the Country into the Main Sea; I call it back, because the first Improvement made by the Christians, was Del a war River-side: This Place is noted for good store of Corn, Horses, CO/AS, Sheep, Hoys, &c. the Lands thereabouts being much improv'd, and built upon : Little Egg- Harbor-Creek, which take their N ames from the great abundance of Eggs, which the Swans, Geese, Ducks, and other wild Fowls on those Rivers lay thereabouts: Tim- ber-River, alias Glocefifer-'RiveT, which hath its Name (also) from the great quantity of curious Timber, which they send in great Floats to Phila- delphia, a City in Pensilvania, as Oaks, Pines, Chesnut, Ash, and Cedars. This River runs down by Glocester-Town, which is the Shire-Town ' t And Newton-River, that runs by Newton; Cooper-River; Pensokin-River; Northampton- River, with several others, at a convenient distance upon the Sea, the Shores whereof are generally deep and bold) of less Note, as Wissahiskonk- River, that runs down into the great River Delaware, by Burlington. The Countrey inhabited by the Christians is divided into four Parts or Counties, tho' the Tenth part of it is not yet peopled; 'Tis far cheaper living there for Eatables than here in Kny/<im/; and either Men or Women that have a Trade, or are Labourers, can, if industrious, get near three times the Wages they commonly earn in England. 80- AND WEST NEW JERSEY Courteous Reader, As yet I have given thee no Account of East- Jersey, because I never was there, so in reality cannot properly or pertinently speak to that Matter. I will not pretend to impose any thing on the World, but have all along, and shall still declare nothing but Verity; therefore one Word of that by and by. I might have given thee a much larger Account of this Countrey, and have stretch' d this (now) Pocket Volume to an extraordinary Bulk and Size; and yet without straining or deviating in the least from the Prin- ciples of my Profession, which are Truth it self. I have no Plot in my Pate, or deep Design, no, not the least expectation of gaming any thing by them that go thither, or losing by those who stay here. My End chiefly in Writing, nay, indeed my great Aim, is to inform the People of Britain and Ireland in general, but particularly the Poor, who are begging, or near it, or starving, or hard by it (as I before took notice in my Preface) to encourage them (for their own Good, and for the Honour and Benefit of their Native Countrey, to whom they are now a Scandal and Disgrace ; and whose Milk and Honey these Drones eat up, and are besides a heavy Burden to the Common- wealth, in the Taxes paid by every Parish in Eng- land, &c. to support them. Law-Causes are here (as in Pensilvania) speedily 81 THOMAS'S PENNSYLVANIA determined, in the second Court at least, unless in some difficult Business. One Justice of the Peace hath Power to try a Cause, and give Judgment therein, if the Original Debt be under forty Shil- lings. And for Thieves and Robbers (as I hinted before in the Preface) they must restore fourfold; which, if they are not able to do, they must work hard till the injured Person is satisfied. I shall conclude with a Word or two on New- East-Jersey. This Countrey is exceeding fruitful in Cartel, of which I have seen great numbers brought from thence, viz. Oxen, Cows, Sheep, Hogs, and Horses, to Philadelphia, the Capital of Pensil- pftniti. The chief est Manufactory (besides English and Indian Grain) fit for Traffick that this Coun- trey affords. Now I shall give thee an Account of the English Manufactory, that each County in West-New- Jersey affords. In the first Place I shall begin with Burlington-County, as for Pelf age, or Beavers Skins, Offer- 8k ins, Minks Skins, Musk- rots Skins, Karkcoon, Wihl Cats, Martin, and Deer -Skins, &c. The Trade in GloceMer- County consists chiefly in Pitch, Tar, and 7iW ; the latter of which is made by Robert Style*, an excellent Artist in that sort of Work, for he delivers it as clear as any Gum- Arabick. The Commerce carried on in Salam- 82 AND WEST NEW JERSEY County, is chiefly Rice, of which they have won- derful Produce every Year ; as also of Cranberries which grow there in great plenty, and which in Picle might be brought to Europe. The Commodi- ties of Captnaif -County, are Oyl and Whale-Bone, of which they make prodigious, nay vast quan- tities every Year, having mightily advanc'd that great Fishery, taking great numbers of Whales yearly. This Country for the general part of it, is extraordinary good, and proper for the raising of all sorts of Cattel, very plentiful here, as Cows, Horses, Sheep, and Hogs, dr. likewise it is well Stor'd with several sorts of Fruits which make very good and pleasant Liquors, snch [sic\ as their Neighbouring Country before mention' d affords. Now Reader, having no more to add of any mo- ment or importance, 1 salute thee in Christ; and whether thou stayest in England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales, or goest to Pensilvania, West or East-Jersey, 1 wish thee all Health and Happiness in this, and Everlasting Comfort (in God) in the World to come. Fare thee well. FINIS -83- OF i-\rf \J >*"- C! 8 For i_Serie J-' 444 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A 001 403 356 7 - I PLEA^f DO NOT REMOVE THIS BOOK University Research Library vfl o U)