large wages a day But it is not a Countrey for idle sluggish People or those who cannot some times put too their hands and encourage their Servants It is a place that produces many fine Fruits and Physick Herbs The Woods are stored with wild Deers Conies Woulves Boars Racouns some Bavers and several other Beasts which have fine Furrs There is also abundance of Fowls and Fish and Water Fowl for the killing The Timber are mostly Oak of all sorts Walnut Chesnut whereof there are great abundance where I have planted tho they bescarce so bigg as these that comes to Scotland yet large as pleasant Strawberries grow very thick upon the ground amongst the Trees so that some places of the Woods are in Summer as it were covered with a red cloath As I am certainly informed Fruit Trees advance at a great rate in this place for a Man may have an Orchard within a few years after the Planting that may yeeld him a great quantitie of Cydar which is the chiefest of their drink in this Province even amongst the meanest of the Planters So that this Countrey if well improved may make a fine place for Nature has been defficient in nothing to it either for pleasure or fruitfulness of the Soyl So that a man being once settled two or three years in it and having Corn Cattle and all things necessary for the use of man within himself And the trouble and hardship of his first settling by his hand He may live as Comfortably here as in any place of the World Providing he could dispence with the want of his Friends and Relations and the satisfactiâ—n of their Companie which is the loss I most regrate in this place And thus having given yon a short description of the place I cannot but in the next place much regrate my misfortune in not seeing you and taking your advise before I came to this place But my Resolution was so sudden by the encouragement I received from the Chief Governour and some of the Proprietors at Aberdeen and having come in onely to see my Sister with my Brother and by the many Gentlemen that were going along in the ship that I was induced to go along without so much as taking my leave of any of my Friends save onely these that were then in Town So that I came of resolution only to see the place and to settle onlie if I fand conveniency And having thus abruptly come away when I came here I designed not to return till I took some tryal of the Countrey that at my return I might be the more able to give an true accompt thereof I am not as yet of any determined resolution as to my staying for altogether as yet but I resolved to stay this year till I see what the ground produces and to see how my endeavours take effect and GOD willing be that time I may in some measure be resolved what to do for then the greatest hardship will be over my head and by that time I will have up an prettie good house which is near already framed whereas hitherto I have dwelt for the most part here in a Wigwam as we call them here accounting all our hardship in the beginning but short in expectation of good success in the end But however I may be resolved hereafter I intend GOD willing life and health serving to come home a start within this year or two and see all my Friends and apollogize the best manner I can for my abrupt departure Now having thus in some measure discharged a part of my dutyfull respects towards you by this line in letting you know of my welfare and present condition Earnestly desiring ye will favour me with a return by the first occasion wherein I shall be glade to hear of your welfare of your kind Ladies and Children To whom and others my nearest Freinds and Relations and Comarads I desire the favour to be Kindly remembered begging pardon for this trouble and your patience to peruse this when your leasure can permit and afterwards to communicat it to my Vncle Calder-hall and his Lady or to my Cusins Harie Lockhart or George Ersken if they call for it I not having time at present to write to them at length as I have in haste done to you I shall forbear to give you furder trouble at present intreating you to remember me kindly to your Worthy and Oblidging Lady and fine Children and shall only subscrive my self as I sincerly am and shall continue Sir Your most affectionat Cusin and oblidged Servant while John Forbes A Leter from Thomas Fullertoun to his Brother the Laird of Kinnaber dated from his new possession in the plains of new Caesaria January 7. 1685. Dear Brother YOu have above a transcript containing the principal Contents of an abrupt Letter sent you three or four days after our arrivall since that time we have possessed our Selves in the above mentioned plain 11. miles from New-Perth four from Rariton Northward And 12. from Elizabeth-Town we have the honour to be the first Inland planters in this part of America for the former Settlement have been by the River-sides which are all possessed by the Quit-renters the which I would have grudged at had I not found the goodness of the Land upwards will countervaill the trouble of transportation to the water As to the number and nature of these Quit-renters they are about 2. or 300. Families some civill and Discreet others rude and Malcontent with the late Purchassers and need some thing of austerity to make them Complaisant We have at present sharp frosts and a good deall of Snow three dayes of vitrefying frost this winter had not its match for cold these 16. years by gone as the Inhabitants do inform us Against this extream we have a good Defence of Fire and felling of Trees and might live warm enough were we not forced to travell for recruit of Provisions I reckon the winter to consist only of nights for the Suns appearance by day moderateth the cold and melts the Frost I do not find the cold here to cause obstructions or coughs the Air is ever transsparent we have singular good stomachs which if it continue as they say it will require a fertile Countrey when peopled the water or temper of the Air keeps mens bellies moderatly looss I cannot find it necessar to give any particular account of this Country with its product because ye have had already many and some very ingenuous of this nature besides I have not yet proof of all the seasons of the year we have the Deer to walk the round nightly about our Lodge this morning I shot a large Hart and followed his bloody tract in the snow above two miles before he dyed I believe the fatest Deer in the world are here we have made choise of your land next adjacent to mine and have placed your Servants there where they will settle if we find convenient when the snow is away this
That fancie of a Common Improvement will not take but whoever expects profiâ—e from their Interests here must Impâ—ove them a part I have sold some of your Gloves aâ— 2 shil and 6 pen 3 shil 4 pen. a pair being what I câ—uld gett for â—hem the money five and a half part less then Inglish and shal make an account thereof at meeting Presâ—nt my service to all Friends I am Your very humble Servant Sic scribitur George Mackenzie A Double of a Letter from New-Perth daâ—ed the 1 of the seventh Moneth 1684. From Iohn Reid who was Gardner to the Lord Advocat to a Friend at Edinburgh SEing it hath plâ—sead God to bring me and mine safe unto this part I took upon my self as oblidged to writ something according to my promise of this Countrey indeed I must saâ— its a brave place but I have nor had time to take such observations as I wâ—uld being so ingadged to attend my other businesse Here is no ouâ—ward want especially of provisions and if people were industruos they might have cloaths also within themselves by the report â—f all it s the best of all â—he Neighbouring Collonies it is very wholesome pleasant and a fertill-land there are also some barren land viz. whit Sandy land full of Pin trees it lyes betwixt South-River and Barngate on Neverssink albiet there be also much good land in that precinct yet it s a good place for raising a stock of cattle providing they have large room to run in for cattle finds gâ—od food there in winter when none is in the best land and therefore do the inhabitants provide little hay in winter The soyl of the countrey is generally a red marle earâ—h with a surface of blak mould nor doth it appear that realy it is to their eyes who cannot penetrat beyond the surface full fraughted with grass pleasant hearbs and flowers and in many places little or no wood but most places full of large timber as walnut especially oak there be some places here and there in the Woods they call swamps whick is low Ground amidst or betwixt rising ground full of bushes which holds water in winter tho most of them be dry in summer but these being cleared and some of them that needs being drained are the richest land here are great conveniencies of Bay Sounds Rivers Creeks Brooks and Springs all over the Province but one of the best things is the large quantities of brave Meadowes both falt and fresh which makes the people here able to supply their Neighbours as they doe throw the abundance of their cattle I know one Planter who hath a hundred of cattle not above three years setled and no wonder for some of the grasse is al 's high as my head Its pity to see so much good land as I have been over in this province lying wast and greater pity to see so much good and convenient land taken and not improven As soon as any of the land here comes to be cultivated it over-runs with small Claver-grass by the pasturage and dunging of cattle and so supplants the naturall grass and hearbs notwithstanding of their quick and strong growth Fruit trees also prosper well here Newark made about a thousand barrell of sider last year a barrell is 8 Scots gallons this is like that of Woodbridge who made 500 barrels of pork in one year before the law was made against the swins trespasses Here they sow most Indian corn and Wheat some Rye Barly Oats Indian corn the first year that they break up or plough the second they sow Wheaâ— because the spontaneous grouth of the weeds is done away by howing the Indean corn as we do cabboge here is one planter makes accompt That he hath about three thousand bushels of wheat reapt this year I suppose he hath above a hundred acres of it but I doe not make these instances as so many precedents I know nothing wanting here except that good Tradsmen and good Husbandmen and Labourers are scarce a Labourer may have a bushell of Corn per day when he is a little acquainted with the work of the country but Tradsmen much more Smiths Carpenters Masons Weavers Taylors Shoemakers are very acceptable any who comes let them bring some cloaths and their proper tools with them as used in England and provide butter bisket wine and especially beer and ale for their Sea-voyage besides the ships allowance and they need not fear when they come here albiet they have no more yet they will be the better if they have something either in money or Scots linning and stuffs to buy a little provision at first to set them up a house and buy a cow or two and tho a man be rich I would not advise him ro bring many servants at least not to keep many at first untill he see about him and know what he is doing I Cannot tell what goods are best to bring David Barclay can tell better But he who brings money may expect 15. d. For the English shil some may bring a Little of the best Wheat for a change of seed and some barly and Oats for the same use also a Litle Scots field pise there being none such here bring also some great clower seed There are great store of Garding hearbs here I have not had time to inquire unto them all nether to send some of the many pleasant tho to me unknown plants of this Countrey to James Sutherland Physick Gardiner at Edinburgh but tell him I will not forget him when opportunities offers I had forgot to writ of Ambo or New-Perth therefore I add that it is one of the best places in America by the report of all Travellers for a town of trade for my part I never saw any so conveniently seated this with my love and my Wifs to all friends and acquaintances I Rest thy friend John Reid David Mudies Letter to his Wife New-Perth the 12. December 16â—4 My heart I Hope this shall find you and your Children in Good-health and I wish in as much satisfaction as I and our Children are here far beyond my expectation and others my well-wishers who are with you my last to you was upon my arrival here dated the 8th of November and at that time I could give you but a small account of my Judgement anent it it would take a great deale of time to inform you of every thing as it truelie is But to be short I have travelled through a part of it and it is far larger than ever I heard it reported in Scotland I dare say above a third more ground and there is abundance of brave Rivers through â—t all â— better then ever I did see in any place brave Meadows alâ—â—â—st all the River sides and lands above the Meadâ—w ground abundance of Fresh water Brooks and Springs plenty of Fishes in all the Rivers in the Summer time and that very good Fishes such as they preserve for Victual in the Wâ—nter and in
just now built in Perth altogether of Cedar-Wood it is reckoned a wood of no value here except for its lastiness I intend to follow Planting my self and if I had but the small Stock here I have in Scotland with some more servants I would not go home to Aberdeen for a Regencie as was profered me neither do I intend it however hoping to get my own safe over we are not troubled here leading our pitts mucking our Land and Ploughing 3. times one Plouing with 4. or 6. Oxen at first breaking up and with 2. horse only thereafter suffices for all you may judge whither that be easier Husbandrie than in Scotland But I know you are no good Husband-man But which of the foresaid trades you will choice if you will come here you self is more then I can divine or will advise you to I have told you how things are and in Gods-Name take your own choice as I have done I shall tell you what I would do were I in your place if it shall fall out you do come I would get some trusty Comorads Merchants to joyn with me and sett up a trade in Perth for I think a mans own trade fitts him best if you have 5000. Merks it is enough 4. in goods and one in money Let none come here destitute of money it is of great request here and gets chape Penyworths and 25. per cent of advantage by it but I doe not advise you for if you should meet with such trouble and disopoyntments as we have done by being put by our Post you would perhapps be discouraged give me the blame all our baggadg is not yet come from Maryland and I want yet my bed Cloathes and the Land I intend to settle on is not yet purchassed from the Indians for after I have viewed all the Province such of it as is yet habitable I have chosen the South branch of Rariton-River for conveniency of Fishing Fowling and Meadow but all the best Land lyes back from the Rivers and the Sea Costs the further back the better it is which necessitates me to go a mile back In breif what you heard of the countrey is all true so I need not spine out long Discriptions of it no unbyassed and indifferent Person will speak ill of the Land it is both pleasant and wholesome and industrous People after some few years Labour may lead a pleasant easie Life and want for nothing And I am of opinion may grow rich too if they take pains for it and follow Merchandising and some are actaually grown rich since they came here who had nothing before if any shal miscredit what I have said I shall not think my self baffled for that but let them live in their opinion and I will live in mine And if they please they may do with me as I did with John Skeens Wife cast my Letters in mine own teeth and when they come upon the place I shall make good what I say face to face as she did to me and if they come not themselves they need not trouble themselves whither it be true or false The goods fit for this Countrey are all kind of house-hold Plenishing without which and a years provision in victualls let none come hither if they would wish not to be preyed on by the old Planters All course cloath such as hodden-grayes and Playding course Stockâ—ns and Linning no fine things for an infant Countrey except for a mans own use course Bedding and Blankets Governour Barclay can give you full information as to this point The Inconveninencies we have met with are great trouble and charges for want of our baggadge there is likewise trouble and charges in the first setlement in carting out ones goods to the woods fencing is the cheif Difficulty and if theâ—e be many great trees the logges most be drawn off with oxen and the branches burned the trees are falled equal to a mans thigh hight but the roots are no impediments where is much brush the roots most be plucked up with grubbing howe 's any man may learn Husbandries here who was not aquaint with it in Scotland Tobacco would grow here as well as in Maryland but it is best for European graines I doe not intend to write more Letters to Edinburgh with this occasion being busied about mine own setlement therefore I intreat you will remember me to all my friends Relations Comarads and Acquaintances at Edinburgh and shew them of my wellfair that I had not my health so well this 7. years bygone as now Blessed be God and that I am not troubled here with coughs and head aikes as in Edinburgh which is likewise a great motive for me to stay in this Countrey I intreat to hear from them all you will not readily miss occasions from London every Moneth to some place in America And there is ordinarly occasions hither from the Neighbour Collonies I have received Letters from the Bissets and my Brother from Mr. Alexander since we came I intreat to hear particularly from the Professor of Divinitie and Mathematicks Doctor Pitcairn Mr. George Burnet Richard Maitland Mr. George Alexander and any others who shall ask for me wishing you and all your concerns well I continue Dear Cusin Your most affectionate Cusin and humble Servant Charles Gordon P stscript by the foresaid hand If any pleases to tell me what their scruples are I shall endeavour to answer them if Servants knew what a Countrey this is for them and that they may live like little Lairds here I think they would not be so Shey as they are to come and during their service they are better used then in any place in America I have seen you may know my Subscription by the sign I gave you of my Pistoles misserving in the Boat or at least when you tell your Mother you may mind on me for you will miss some pints of wine you spent with me that Fridays night you convoyed me aboard on the Shore and in the Ship If there were a Caball of Merchants here to export the product of the Countrey to Barbadoes and the West-Indies and to Import Rumm Malasses Suggar and Cotton c. it would do a great deal of good to this Countrey I intreat to know what remarkable Revolutions has hapned either abroad or at home since I came away Any Merchants who settles here must take Lotts in the Town and build houses Mr. David Mudie is building a stone house and hath already an Horse-mill ready to set up presently in New-Perth Adue For Mr. James Mudie Merchant in Montrose New-Perth the 9th of March 1685. Sir MY Love ever being remembered to your self Lady and Children these are earnestly intreating you to let my Wife have any little thing she stands in need of untill it shall please the Lord I return and I shall pay you very thankfully I have left Thomas Parson and resolves to trade this Summer in the Countrey and to come home with your Uncle