LICENSED BY Roger L'estrange Novemb. the 28. 1673. AN ACCOUNT OF TWO VOYAGES TO NEW-ENGLAND Wherein you have the setting out of a Ship with the charges The prices of all necessaries for furnishing a Planter and his Family at his first coming A Description of the Countrey Natives and Creatures with their Merchantil and Physical use The Government of the Countrey as it is now possessed by the English c. A large Chronological Table of the most remarkable passages from the first discovering of the Continent of America to the year 1673. By John Josselyn Gent. Memner distich rendred English by Dr. Heylin Heart take thine ease Men hard to please Thou haply might'st offend Though one speak ill Of thee some will Say better there 's an end London Printed for Giles Widdows at the Green-Dragon in St. Paul's-Church-yard 1674. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS THE President Fellows OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY The following Account of Two VOYAGES TO New-England Is Most Humbly presented By the Authour John Josselyn To the Reader YOV are desired by the Authour to correct some literal faulis which by reason of the raggedness of the Copy have been committed G. Widdows ERRATA PAge 4. line 10. for So tler read Soâ—â—ler p. 8. l. 9. fâ—r fu'd r. iâ—'d p. 12. l. 28. for pound r. pint p. 15. l. 11. for Two pound r. Two shillings p. 16 l. 27. for hâ—ads r. steels p. 88. l. 3. to the 18 is misplaced it shou'd come in the next page in the beginning of the 10 l. aâ—ter contricute your belief p. 89. l. 14. for horns r. horn p. 89. l. 17. for lo r. law p. 97. l. 9 for this r. his p. 98. l. 13. for then r. still p. 110. for point r. joynt p. 114. l. 9. for it will r. that will p. 115. l. 2. for conveniam r. conveniant p. 132. l 7. for with r. in p. 153. for Auravia r. A raâ—ia p. 154. l. 11. for Longlace r. Lovelace p. 180. l. 9. r. true Religion p. 181. l. 16. for main travelling Women r. many strange Women some stops and points to are not right as p. 181. l. 4. the stop should be at onely so p. 181. l. 30. the stop should be after evil eye p. 201. l. 2. it must be at low water p. 191. l. 1. r. 1624. p. 197. l. 13. r. Tâ—aâ—â—oes p. 202. l. 17. r. Aconenticus p. 229. l. 21. for and r. who p. 252. l. 10. r. Thomas Dudâ—y Isaâ—â— Johnson Esquires p. 274. l. 13. and 14.1 Buccanâ—rs A RELATION OF TWO VOYAGES TO New-England The first Voyage ANNO Dom. 1638. April the 26th being Thursday I came to Gravesend and went aboard the New Supply alias the Nicholas of London a Ship of good force of 300 Tuns burden carrying 20 Sacre and Minion man'd with 48 Sailers the Master Robert Taylor the Merchant or undertaker Mr. Edward Tinge with 164 Passengers men women and children At Gravesend I began my Journal from whence we departed on the 26. of April about Six of the clock at night and went down into the Hope The 27. being Fryday we set sail out of the Hope and about Nine of the clock at night we came to an Anchor in Maâ—garet-Road in three fathom and a half water by the way we past a States man of war of 500 Tun cast away a month before upon the Goodwin nothing remaining visible above water but her main mast top 16 oâ— her men were drowned the rest saved by Fishermen The 28. we twined into the Downs where Captain Clark one of His Majesties Captains in the Navy came aboard of us in the afternoon and prest two of our Trumpeters Here we had good store of Flounders from the Fishermen new taken out of the Sea and living which being readily gutted were fry'd while they were warm me thoughts I never tasted of a delicater Fish in all my life before The Third of May being Ascension day in the afternoon we weighed out of the Downs the wind at E. and ran down into Dover Road and lay by the lee whilst they sent the Skiffe ashore for one of the Masters mates by the way we past Sandwich in the Hope Sandown-Castle Deal So we steered away for Doniesse from thence we steered S. W. ½ S. for the Beachie about one of the clock at night the wind took us a stayes with a gust rain thunder and lightning and now a Servant of one of the passengers sickned of the small pox The Fifth day in the afternoon we Anchored the Isle of Wight W.N.W. 10 leagues off Beachie E. N. E. 8 leagues off rode in 32 fathom-water at low water at 8 of the clock at night the land over the Needles bore N. W. 4 leagues off we steered W. afore the Start at noon the Boult was N. W. by W. about 3½ leagues off we were becalmed from 7 of the clock in the morning till 12 of the clock at noon where we took good store of Whitings and half a score Gurnets this afternoon an infinite number of Porpisces shewed themselves above water round about the Ship as far as we could kenn the night proved tempestuous with much lightning and thunder The Sixth day being Sunday at five of the clock at night the Lizard was N. W. by W. 6 leagues off and the Blackhead which â—s to the westward of Falmouth was N. W. about 5 leagues off The Seventh day the uttermost part of Silly was N. E. 12 leagues off and now we â—egan to sail by the logg The Eighth day one Boremans man a passenger was duck'd at the main yards arm for being drunk with his Masters strong waters which he stole thrice and fire given to two whole Sacree at that instant Two mighty Whales we now saw the one spouted water through two great holes in her head into the Air a great height and making a great noise with pussing and blowing the Seamen called her a Soutler the other was further off about a league from the Ship fighting with the Sword-fish and the Flail-fish whose stroakes with a fin that growes upon her back like a flail upon the back of the Whale we heard with amazement when presently some more than half as far again we spied a spout from above it came pouring down like a River of water So that if they should light in any Ship she were in danger to be presently sunk down into the Sea and falleth with such an extream violence all whole together as one drop or as water out of a Vessel and dured a quarter of an hour making the Sea to boyle like a pot and if any Vessel be near it sucks it in I saw many of these spouts afterwards at nearer distance In the afternoon the Mariners struck a Porpisce called also a Marsovius or Sea-hogg with anâ— harping Iron and hoisted her aboard they cut some of it into thin pieces and fryed it tasts like rusty Bacon or hung Beef if not worse but the Liver
Weyre at all saving a few stones to stop the passage of the River above ten thousand The Italian hath a proverb that he that hath seen one miracle will easily believe another but this relation far from a miracle will peranter meet instead of a belief with an Adulterate construction from those that are somewhat akin to St. Peters mockers such as deny the last judgement I have known in England 9 score and 16 Pikes and Pickarel taken with three Angles between the hours of three and ten in the morning in the River Owse in the Isle of Ely three quarters of a yard long above half of them they make red Alewives after the same manner as they do herrins and are as good The Basse is a salt water fish too but most an end taken in Rivers where they spawn there hath been 3000 Basse taken at a set one writes that the fat in the bone of a Basses head is his braines which is a lye The Salmon likewise is a Sea-fish but as the Basse comes into Râ—vers to spawn a Salmon the first year is a Salmon-smâ—lt The second a Mort The third a Spâ—â—il The fourth a Soar The fiâ—th a Sâ—râ—el The sixth a forket tail and the seventh year a Salmon There are another sort of Salmon frequent in those parts called white Salmons Capeling is a small fish like a smelt The Turtle or Tortoise is of two sorts Sea Turtles and land Turtles of Sea Turtles there are five sorts of land Turtles three sorts one of which is a right land Turtles that seldom or never goes into the water the other two being the River Turtle and the pond Turtle there are many of these in the brooke Chyson in the Holy land The ashes of a Sea Turtle mixt with oyl or Bears-grease causeth hair to grow the shell of a land Turtle burnt and the ashes dissolved in wine and oyl to an unguent healeth chaps and sores of the feet the flesh burnt and the ashes mixt with wine and oyl healeth sore legs the ashes of the burnt shell and the whites of eggs compounded together healeth chaps in womens nipples and the head pulverized with it prevents the falling of the hair and will heal the Hemorrhoids first washing of them with white-wine and then strewing on the powder Lobster which some say is at first a whelk I have seen a Lobster that weighed twenty pound they cast their shell-coats in the spring and so do Crabs having underneath a thin red skin which growes thicker and hard in short time The Indians feed much upon this fish some they rost and some they dry as they do Lampres and Oysters which are delicate breakfast meat so ordered the Oysters are long shell'd I have had of them nine inches long from the point to the toe containing an Oyster like those the Latines called Tridacuan that were to be cut into three pieces before they could get them into their mouths very fat and sweet The Muscle is of two sorts Sea muscles in which they find Pearl and river muscles Sea muscles dryed and pulverized and laid upon the sores of the Piles and hemorrhoids with oyl will perfectly cure them The Whore is a shell-fish the shells are called whores-eggs being fine round white shells in shape like a Mexico pompion but no bigger than a good large Hens-egg they are wrought down the sides with little knobs and holes very prettily but are but thin and brittle The Perriwig is a shell-fish that â—â—â—â—h in the Sands flat and round as a shovel-board piece and very little thicker these at a little hole in the middle of the shell thrust out a cap of hair but upon the least motion of any danger it drawes it in again Trouts there be good store in every brook ordinarily two and twenty inches long their grease is good for the Piles and clifts The Eal is of two sorts salt-water Eals and fresh-water Eals these again are distinguished into yellow bellied Eals and silver bellied Eals I never eat better Eals in no part of the world that I have been in than are here They that have no mind or leasure to take them may buy of an Indian half a dozen silver bellied Eals as big as those we usually give 8 pence or 12 pence a piece for at London for three pence or a groat There is several wayes of cooking them some love them roasted others baked and many will have them fryed but they please my palate best when they are boiled a common way it is to boil them in half water half wine with the bottom of a manchet a fagot of Parsley and a little winter savory when they are boiled they take them out and break the bread in the broth and put to it three or four spoonfuls of yest and a piece of sweet butter this they pour to their Eals laid upon sippets and so serve it up I fancie my way better which is this after the Eals are fley'd and washt I fill their bellies with Nutmeg grated and Cloves a little bruised and sow them up with a needle and thred then I stick a Clove here and there in their sides about an inch asunder making holes for them with a bodkin this done I wind them up in a wreath and put them into a kettle with half water and half white wine-vinegar so much as will rise four fingers above the Eals in midst of the Eals I put the bottom of a penny white loaf and a fagot of these herbs following Parsley one handful a little sweet Marjoram Peniroyal and Savory a branch of Rosemary bind them up with a thred and when they are boiled enough take out the Eals and pull out the threds that their bellies were sowed up with turn out the Nutmeg and Cloves put the Eals in a dish with butter and vinegar upon a chafing-dish with coals to keep warm then put into the broth three or four spoonfuls of good Ale-yeast with the juice of half a Lemmon but before you put in your yeast beat it in a porringer with some of the broth then break the crust of bread very small and mingle it well together with the broth pour it into a deep dish and garnish it with the other half of the Lemmon and so serve them up to the Table in two dishes The Frost fish is little bigger than a Gudgeon and are taken in fresh brooks when the waters are frozen they make a hole in the Ice about half a yard or yard wide to which the fish repair in great numbers where with small nets bound to a hoop about the bigness of a fiskin-hoop with a staff fastned to it they lade them out of the hole I have not done with the fish yet being willing to let you know all of them that are to be seen and catch'd in the Sea and fresh waters in New-England and because I will not tire your patience overmuch having no occasion to enlarge my discourse I shall only name them and
boiled and soused sometime in Vinegar is more grateful to the pallat About 8 of the clock at night a flame settled upon the main mast it was about the bigness of a great Candle and is called by our Seamen St. Elmes fire it comes before a storm and is commonly thought to be a Spirit if two appear they prognosticate safety These are known to the learned by the names of Castor and Pollux to the Italians by St. Nicholas and St. Hermes by the Spaniards called Corpos Santes The Ninth day about two of the clock in the afternoon we found the head of our main mast close to the cap twisted and shivered and we presently after found the fore-top-mast crackt a little above the cap So they wolled them both and about two of the clock in the morning 7 new long Boat oars brake away from our Star-board quarter with a horrid crack The Eleventh day they observed and made the Ship to be in latitude 48 degrees 46 minuts having a great Sea all night about 6 of the clock in the morning we spake with Mr. Rupe in a Ship of Dartmouth which came from Marcelloes and now is Silly N. E. by E. 34 leagues off about 9 of the clock at night we sounded and had 85 fathom water small brownish pepperie sand with a small piece of Hakes Tooth and now we are 45 leagues off the Lizard great Seas all night and now we see to the S. W. six tall Ships the wind being S. W. The Twelfth day being Whitsunday at prayer-time we found the Ships trine a foot by the stern and also the partie that was sick of the small pox now dyed whom we buried in the Sea tying a bullet as the manner is to his neck and another to his leggs turned him out at a Port-hole giving fire to a great Gun In the afternoon one Martin Jvy a stripling servant to Captain Thomas Cammock was whipt naked at the Cap-stern with a Cat with Nine tails for filching 9 great Lemmons out of the Chirurgeons Cabbin which he eat rinds and all in less than an hours time The Thirteenth day we took a Sharke a great one and hoisted him aboard with his two Companions for there is never a Sharke but hath a mate or two that is the Pilot fish or Pilgrim which lay upon his back close to a long finn the other fish some what bigger than the Pilot about two foot long called a Remora it hath no scales and sticks close for the Shâ—â—kes belly So the Whale hath the Sea-gudgeon a small fish for his mate marching before him and guiding him which I have seen likewise The Seamen divided the Sharke into quarters and made more quarter about it than the Purser when he makes five quarters of an Oxe and after they had cooked him he proved very rough Grain'd not worthy of wholesome preferment but in the afternoon we took store of Bonitoes or Spanish Dolphins a fish about the size of a large Mackarel beautified with admirable varietie of glittering colours in the water and was excellent food The Fourteenth day we spake with a Plimouth man about dinner time bound for New-found-land who having gone up west-ward sprang a leak and now bore back for Plimouth Now was Silly 50 leagues off and now many of the passengers fall sick of the small Pox and Calenture The Sixteenth Mr. Clarke who came out of the Downs with us and was bound for the Isle of Providence one of the summer Islands the Spaniards having taken it a little before though unknown to Clarke and to Captain Nathaniel Butler going Governour they now departed from us the Wind N. W. great Seas and stormie winds all night The Seventeenth day the wind at N. W. about 8 of the clock we saw 5 great Ships bound for the Channel which was to the Westward of us about two leagues off we thought them to be Flemmings here we expected to have met with Pirates but were happily deceived The One and twentieth day the wind S. by W. great Seas and Wind fu'd our courses and tryed from 5 of the clock afternoon till 4 in the morning the night being very stormie and dark we lost Mr. Gâ—odlad and his Ship who came out with us and bound for Boston in New-England The Eight and twentieth day all this while a very great grown Sea and mighty winds June the first day in the afternoon very thick foggie weather we sailed by an inchanted Island saw a great deal of filth and rubbish floating by the Ship heard Cawdimawdies Sea-gulls and Crowes Birds that alwayes frequent the shoar but could see nothing by reason of the mist towards Sun-set when we were past the Island it cleared up The Fourteenth day of June very foggie weather we sailed by an Island of Ice which lay on the Star-board side three leagues in length mountain high in form of land with Bayes and Capes like high clift land and a River pouring off it into the Sea We saw likewise two or three Foxes or Devils skipping upon it These Islands of Ice are congealed in the North and brought down in the spring-time with the Current to the banks on this side New-found-land and there stopt where they dissolve at last to water by that time we had sailed half way by it we met with a French Pickeroon Here it was as cold as in the middle of January in England and so continued till we were some leagues beyond it The Sixteenth day we sounded and found 35 fathom water upon the bank of New-found-land we cast our our hooks for Cod-fish thick foggie weather the Codd being taken on a Sanday morning the Sectaries aboard threw those their servants took into the Sea again although they wanted fresh victuals but the Sailers were not so nice amongst many that were taken we had some that were wasted Fish it is observable and very strange that fishes bodies do grow slender with age their Tails and Heads retaining their former bigness Fish of all Creatures have generally the biggest heads and the first part that begins to taint in a fish is the head The Nineteenth day Captain Thomas Cammock a near kinsman of the Earl of Warwicks now had another lad Thomas Jones that dyed of the small pox at eight of the clock at night The Twentieth day we saw a great number of Sea-bats or Owles called also flying fish they are about the bigness of a Whiting with sour tinsel wings with which they fly as long as they are wet when pursued by other fishes Here likewise we saw many Grandpisces or Herring-hogs hunting the scholes of Herrings in the afternoon we saw a great fish called the vehuella or Sword fish having a long strong and sharp finn like a Sword-blade on the top of his head with which he pierced our Ship and broke it off with striving to get loose one of our Sailers dived and brought it aboard The One and twentieth day we met with two Bristow men bound for
that kind of Solomon seal called by the English Treacle-berry be it Geraâ—d our famous Herbalist writes that they grow upon a little Tree called Scarlet-Oake the leaves have one sharp prickle at the end of it it beareth small Acorns But the grain or â—erry growes out of the woody branches like an excrescence of the substance of the Oake-Apple and of the bigness of Pease at first white when ripe of an Ash-colour which ingenders little Maggots which when it begins to have wings are put into a bag and boulted up and down till dead and then made up into lumps the Maggot as most do deem is Cutchenele So that Chermes is Cutchenele the berries dye scarlet Mr. George Sands in his Travels saith much to the same purpose that searlet dye growes like a blister on the leaf of the Holy Oake a little shrub yet producing Acorns being gathered they rub out of it a certain red dust that converteth after a while into worms which they kill with Wine when they begin to quicken See farther concerning Treacle-berries and Cutchinele in the rarities of New-England The Pine-Tree challengeth the next place and that sort which is called Board-pine is the principal it is a stately large Tree very tall and sometimes two or three fadom about of the body the English make large Canows of 20 foot long and two foot and a half over hollowing of them with an Adds and shaping of the outside like a Boat Some conceive that the wood called Gopher in Scripture of which Noah made the Ark was no other than Pine Gen. 6.14 The bark thereof is good for Ulcers in tender persons that refuse sharp medicines The inner bark of young board-pine cut small and stampt and boiled in a Gallon of water is a very soveraign medicine for burn or scald washing the sore with some of the decoction and then laying on the bark stampt very soft or for frozen limbs to take out the fire and to heal them take the bark of Board-pine-Tree cut it small and stamp it and boil it in a gallon of water to Gelly wash the sore with the liquor stamp the bark again till it be very soft and bind it on The Turpentine is excellent to heal wounds and cuts and hath all the properties of Venice Turpentine the Rosen is as good as Frankincense and the powder of the dryed leaves generateth flesh the distilled water of the green Cones taketh away wrinkles in the face being laid on with Cloths The Firr-tree is a large Tree too but seldom so big as the Pine the bark is smooth with knobs or blisters in which lyeth clear â—iquid Turpentine very good to be put into salves and oyntments the leaves or Cones boiled in Beer are good for the Scurvie the young buds are excellent to put into Epithemes for Warts and Corns the Rosen is altogether as good as Frankâ—ncense out of this Tree the Poleakers draw Pitch and Tarr the manner I shall give you for that â—t may with many other things contained â—n this Treatise be beneficial to my Counâ—rymen either there already seated or that may happen to go thither hereafter Out of the fattest wood changed into Torch-wood which is a disease in that Tree they draw Tarr first a place must be paved with stone or the like a little higher in the middle about which there must be made gutters into which the liquor falls then out from them other gutters are to be drawn by which it may be received then is it put into barrels The place thus prepared the cloven wood must be set upright then must it be covered with a great number of sin and pitch bowes and on every part all about with much lome and sods of earth and great heed must be taken lest there be any cleft or chink remaining only a hole left in the top of the furnace through which the fire may be put in and the flame and smoak to pass out when the fire burneth the Pitch or Tarr runneth forth first thin and then thicker of which when iâ— is boâ—led is made Pitch the powder oâ— dried Pitch is ' used to generate flesh in wounds and sores The knots of this Tree and sat-pine are used by the English instead of Candles and it will burn a long time but it makes the people pale The Spruce-tree I have given you an account of in my New-England raâ—ities Iâ— the Nâ—râ—h-east of Scotland upon the bank of Lough-argick there hath been formerly of these Trees 28 handful about at the Root and their bodies mounted to 90 foot of height bearing at the length 20 inches diameter At Puscataway there is now a Spruce-tree brought down to the water-side by our Mass-men of an incredible bigness and so long that no Skipper durst ever yet adventure to ship it but there it lyes and Rots The Hemlock-tree is a kind of spruce or pine the bark boiled and stampt till it be very soft is excellent for to heal wounds and so is the Turpentine thereof and the Turpentine that issueth from the Cones of the Larch-tree which comes nearest of any to the right Turpentine is singularly good to heal wounds and to draw out the malice or Thorn as Helmont phrases is of any Ach rubbing the place therewith and strowing upon it the powder of Sage-leaves The white Cedar is a stately Tree and is taken by some to be Tamarisk this Tree the English saw into boards to floor their Rooms for which purpose it is excellent long lasting and wears very smooth and white likewise they make shingles to cover their houses with instead of tyle it will never warp This Tree the Oak and the Larch-tree are best for building Groundsels made of Larch-tree will never rot and the longer it lyes the harder it growes that you may almost drive a nail into a bar of Iron as â—asily as into that Oh that my Countreymen might obtain that blessing with their buildings which Esay prophesied to the Jewes in the 65 Chapter and 22 verse Non aedificabunt alius inhabitabit non plantabunt alius comedet sed ut sunâ— dies Arboris dies erunt populi mei opus manuum suarum deterent electi mei The Sassafras-tree is no great Tree I have met with some as big as my middle the rind is tawny and upon that a thin colour of Ashes the inner part is white of an excellent smell like Fennel of a sweet tast with some bitterness the leaves are like Fig-leaves of a dark green A decoction of the Roots and bark thereof sweetned with Sugar and drunk in the morning fasting will open the body and procure a stool or two it is good for the Scurvie taken some time together and laying upon the legs the green leaves of white Hellebore They give it to Cows that have newly calâ—â—d to make them cast their Cleanings 〈◊〉 Tree growes not beyond Black-point â—â—â—ward it is observed that there is no 〈…〉 Trees and plants not 〈…〉
wine or water Herba-paris one berry herb true love or four-leaved night-shade the leaves are good to be laid upon hot tumours Vmbiticus veneris or New-England daisie it is good for hot humours Erisipelas St. Anthonie's fire all inflammations Glass-wort a little quantity of this plant you may take for the Dropsie but be very careful that you take not too much for it worketh impetuously Water-plantane called in New-England water Suck-leaves and Scurvie-leaves you must lay them whole to the leggs to draw out water between the skin and the flesh Rosa-solis Sun-dew moor-grass this plant I have seen more of than ever I saw in my whole life before in England a man may gather upon some marish-grounds an incrâ—dible quantity in a short time towards the middle of June it is in its season for then its spear is shot out to its length of which they take hold and pull the whole plant up by the roots from the moss with case Amber-greese I take to be a Mushroom see the rarities of New-England Monardus writeth that Amber greese riseth out of a certain clammy and bituminous earth under the Seas and by the Sea-side the billows casting up part of it a land and fish devour the rest Some say it is the seed of a Whale others that it springeth from fountains as pitch doth which fishes swallow down the air congealeth it And sometimes it is found in the crevises and corners of Rocks Fuss-balls Mullipuffes called by the Fishermen Wolves-farts are to be found plentifully and those bigger by much than any I have seen in England Coraline there is infinite store of it cast upon the shore and another plant that is more spinie of a Red colour and as hard as Corral Coraline laid to the gout easeth the pain Sea-Oake or wreach or Sea-weed the black pouches of Oâ—r-weed dryed and pulverized and drunk with White-wine is an excellent remedy for the stone I will finish this part of my relation concerning plants with an admirable plant for the curing and taking away of Corns which many times sore troubleth the Traveller it is not above a handful high the little branches are woodie the leaves like the leaves of Box but broader and much thicker hard and of a deep grass-green colour this bruised or champt in the mouth and laid upon the Corn will take it away clean in one night And observe all Indian Trees and plants their Roots are but of small depth and so they must be set Of Beasts of the earth there be scarce 120 several kinds and not much more of the Fowls of the Air is the opinion of some Naturalists there are not many kinds of Beasts in New-England they may be divided into Beasts of the Chase of the stinking foot as Roes Foxes Jaccals Wolves Wild-cats Racoons Porcupines Squncks Musquashes Squirrels Sables and Mattrises and Beasts of the Chase of the sweet foot Buck Red Dear Rain Dear Elke Marouse Maccarib Bear Beaver Otter Marten Hare The Roe a kind of Deer and the fleetest Beast upon earth is here to be found and is good venison but not over fat The Fox the male is called a dog-fox the female a bitch-fox they go a clicketing the beginning of the spring and bring forth their Cubs in May and June There are two or three kinds of them one a great yellow Fox another grey who will climb up into Trees the black Fox is of much esteem Foxes and Wolves are usually hunted in England from Holy-Rood day till the Annunciation In New-England they make best sport in the depth of winter they lay a sledg-load of Cods-heads on the other side of a paled fence when the moon shines and about nine or ten of the clock the Foxes come to it sometimes two or three or half a dozen and more these they shoot and by that time they have cased them there will be as many So they continue shooting and killing of Foxes as long as the moon shineth I have known half a score kill'd in one night Their pisles are bonie like a doggs their fat liquified and put into the ears easeth the pain their tails or bushes are very fair ones and of good use but their skins are so thin yet thick set with deep â—urr that they will hardly hold the dressing Jaccals there be abundance which is a Creature much like a Fox but smaller they â—re very frequent in Palaestina or the Holy-â—and The Wolf seeketh his mate and goes a â—licketing at the same season with Foxes and bring forth their whelps as they do but â—heir kennels are under thick bushes by great Trees in remote places by the swamps he is to be hunted as the Fox from Holyâ—ood day till the Annunciation But there they have a quicker way to destroy them See New-England rarities They commonly go in routs a rout of Wolves is 12 or more sometimes by couples In 1664. we sound a Wolf asleep in a small dry swamp under an Oake a great mastiff which we had with us seized upon him and held him till we had put a rope about his neck by which we brought him home and tying of him to a stake we bated him with smaller Doggs and had excellent sport but his hinder legg being broken they knockt out his brains Sometime before this we had an excellent course after a single Wolf upon the hard sands by the Sea-side at low water for a mile or two at last we lost our doggs it being as the Lancashire people phrase it twi-lâ—ght that is almost dark and went beyond them for a mastiff-bitch had seized upon the Wolf being gotten into the Sea and there held him till one went in and led him out the bitch keeping her hold till they had tyed his leggs and so carried him home like a Calf upon a staff between two men being brought into the house they unbound him and set him upon his leggs hâ— not offering in the least to bite or so much as to shew his teeth but clapping his stern betwixt his leggs and leering towards the door would willingly have had his liberty but they served him as they did the other knockt his brains out for our doggs were not then in a condition to bate him their eyes shine by night as a Lanthorn the Fangs of a Wolf hung about childrens necks keep them from frighting and are very good to rub their gums with when they are breeding of Teeth the gall of a Wolf is Soveraign for swelling of the sinews the fiants or dung of a Wolf drunk with white-wine helpeth the Collick The Wild-cat Lusern or luceret or Ounce as some call it is not inferiour to Lamb their grease is very soveraign for lameness upon taking cold The Racoon or Rattoon is of two sorts gray Rattoons and black Rattoons their grease is soveraign for wounds with bruises aches streins bruises and to anoint after broken bones and dislocations The Squnck is almost as big as a Racoon perfect black and white or pye-bald with a
fley'd they take them prettily they roost in the night upon some Rock that lyes out in the Sea thither the Indian goes in his Birch Canow when the Moon shines clear and when he is come almost to it he lets his Canow drive on of it self when he is come under the Rock he shoves his Boat along till he come just under the Cormorants watchman the rest being asleep and so soundly do sleep that they will snore like so many Piggs the Indian thrusts up his hand of a sudden grasping the watchman so hard round about his neck that he cannot cry out as soon as he hath him in his Canow he wrings off his head and making his Canow fast he clambreth to the top of the Rock where walking softly he takes them up as he pleaseth still wringing off their heads when he hath shin as many as his Canow can carry he gives a shout which awakens the surviving Cormorants who are gone in an instant The next Creatures that you are to take notice of are they that live in the Element of water Pliny reckons them to be of 177 kinds but certainly if it be true that there is no Beast upon Earth which hath not his like in the Sea and which perhaps is not in some part parallel'd in the plants of the Earth we may by a diligent search find out many more of the same opinion is the Poet who saith that it is Affirm'd by some that what on Earth we find The Sea can parallell in shape and kind Divine Dubertus goes further You Divine wits of elder dayes from whom The deep invention of rare works hath comâ— Took you not pattern of our chiefest Tooles Out of the lap of Thetis Lakes and Pools Which partly in the Waves part on the edges Of craggy Rocks among their ragged sedges Bring forth abundance of Pins Spincers spokes Pikes piercers needles mallets pipes yoakâ— Oars sails swords saws wedges razors rammers Plumes cornets knives wheels vices horns and hammers Psalm 104.25 26. In ipso mari magno spatioso illic reptilia sunt atque innumera animantia parva cum magnis Illic navea ambulant balaena quam formasti ludendo in eo And as the females amongst Beasts and Birds of prey for form and beautie surpass the males so do they especially amongst fishes and those I intend to treat of I shall divide into salt-salt-water fish and fresh-water fish The Sea that Piscina mirabilis affords us the greatest number of which I shall begin first with the Whale a regal fish as all fishes of extraordinary size are accounted of these there are as I have said in another place seven kinds the Ambergreese Whale the chieâ—est Anno Dom. 1668 the 17 of July there was one of them thrown up on the shore between Winter-harbour and Cape-porpus about eight mile from the place where I lived that was five and fifty foot long They are Creatures of a vast magnitude and strength The Royal Psalmist in the 148 psalm and the 7 verse makes mention of them Laudate Jebovam terrestria Cete Dracones as sâ—me traâ—slate it omnes abyssi And Moses in his history of Job Job 41.1 An extrahas balaenam hamâ— c. Whereby the subtlety of the Devil is shewed as also the greatness and brutishness of the Devil by the Elephant in the 10 verse of the foregoing Chapter In the book of Jonas prophecies we read of a great fish Jonah 1.17 Pararat autem Jehova piscem magnum â—ui obsorberet Jonam But whether this were a Whale or not is questioned by some In the head saith Mr. Parkinson the Herbalist of one only sort of Whale-fish is found that which is called sperma Caeti it lyes in a hole therein as it were a Well taken out and prest that the oyl may come out the substance is that we use for sperma Caeti and hath little or no smell the oyl smells strong See the rarities of New-England The Sea-hare is as big as Grampus or Herrin-hog and as white as a sheet There hath been of them in Black point-Harbour some way up the river but we could never take any of them several have shot sluggs at them but lost their labour The Sturgeon is a Regal fish too I have seen of them that have been sixteen foot in length of their sounds they make Isirglass which melted in the mouth is excellent to seal letters Sharkes there are infinite store who tear the Fishermens nets to their great loss and hinderance they are of two sorts one flat headed the other long snouted the pretious stone in their heads soveraign for the stone in a man so much coveted by the travelling Chirurgeon is nought else but the brains of the flat-headed Sharke With these we may joyn the Dog-fish or Thorn-hound who hath two long sharp prickles on his back The Sea-horse or Morse is a kind of monster-fish numerous about the Isle of Sables i. e. The sandy Isle An Amphibious Creature kill'd for their Teeth and Oyl never brings forth more than two at a birth as also doth the Soil and Manate or Cow-fish which is supposed to be the Sea-monster spoken of by Jeremy Lament 4.3 Etiam phocae praebent mammam lactant catulos suos So the Latins render it phoca a Sea-Calf or Soil The small Sword-fish is very good meat the Sea-bat or Sea-owl a kind of flying fish Negroes or Sea-Devils a very ugly fish having a black scale there are three sorts of them one a hideous fish another about two foot long of these I have seen store in Black-point Harbour in the water but never attempted to take any of them Squids a soft fish somewhat like a cudgel their horns like a Snails which sometimes are found to be of an incredible length this fish is much used for bait to catch a Cod Hacke Polluâ—k and the like Sea-fish The Dolphin Bonito or Dozado the ashes of their teeth mixed with honey is good to asswage the pain of breeding teeth in Children The Sea-bream Dorado or Amber-fish they follow ships as doth the Dolphin and are good meat The Mackarel of which there is choicefull plenty all summer long in the spring they are ordinarily 18 inches long afterwards there is none taken but what are smaller The Liver-fish like a Whiting The Herrin which are numerous they take of them all summer long In Anno Dom. 1670. they were driven into Black-point Harbour by other great fish that prey upon them so near the shore that they threw themselves it being high water upon dry land in such infinite numbers that we might have gone up half way the leg amongst them for near a quarter of a mile We used to qualifie a pickled Herrin by boiling of him in milk The Alewife is like a herrin but has a bigger bellie therefore called an Alewife they come in the end of April into fresh Rivers and Ponds there hath been taken in two hours time by two men without any
by one Andrew Thorn an English man in Anno 1527. Sir Humphrey Gilbert a west Countrey Knight took possession of it in the Queens name Anno 1582. The two first Colonies in New-England failing there was a fresh supply of English who set down in other parts of the Countrey and have continued in a flourishing condition to this day The whole Countrey now is divided into Colonies and for your better understanding observe a Colony is a sort of people that come to inhabit a place before not inhabited or Colonus quasi because they should be Tillers of the Earth From hence by an usual figure the Countrey where they sit down is called a Colony or Plantation The first of these that I shall relate of though last in possession of the English is now our most Southerly Colony and next adjoyning to Mary-land scil the Manadâ—es or Manahanent lying upon the great Râ—ver Mohegan which was first discovered by Mr. Hudson and sold presently by him to the Dutch without Authority from his Soveraign the King of England Anno 1608. The Dutch in 1614 began to plant there and call'd it New-Netherlands but Sir Samuel Argal Governour of Virginia routed them the Dutch after this got leave of King James to put in there for fresh water in their passage to Brasile and did not offer to plant until a good while after the English were settled in the Countrey In Anno 1664 his Majestie Charles the Second sent over sour worthie Gentlemen Commissioners to reduce the Colonies into their bounds who had before incroached upon one another who marching with Three hundred red-Coats to Manadaes or Manhataes took from the Dutch their chief town then called New-Amsterdam now New York the Twenty ninth of August turn'd out their Governour with a silver leg and all but those that were willing to acknowledge subjection to the King of England suffering them to enjoy their houses and estates as before Thirteen days after Sir Robert Care took the Fort and Town of Auravia now called Albany and Twelve days after that the Fort and Town of Awsapha then De-la-ware Castle man'd with Dutch and Sweeds So now the English are masters of three handsome Towns three strong Forts and a Castle not losing one man The first Governour of these parts for the King of England was Colonel Nicols a noble Gentleman and one of his Majesties Commissioners who coming for England in Anno Dom. 1668 as I take it surrendered the Government to Colonel Longlace The Countrey here is bless'd with the â—ichest soil in all New-England I have heard it reported from men of Judgement and Integrity that one Bushel of European-Wheat hath yielded a hundred in one year Their other Commodities are Furs and the 〈◊〉 New-York is situated at the mouth of the great River Mohegan and is built with Dutch Brick alla-moderna the meanest house therein being valued at One hundred pounds to the Landward it is compassed with a Wall of good thickness at the entrance of the River is an Island well fortified and hath command of any Ship that shall attempt to pass without their leave Albany is situated upon the same River on the West-side and is due North from New-York somewhat above Fifty miles Along the Sea-side Eastward are many English-Towns as first Westchester a Sea-Town about Twenty miles from New-York to the Eastward of this is Greenwich another Sea-Town much about the same distance then Chichester Fairfield Stratford Milford all Sea-Towns twenty and thirty mile distant from one another twenty miles Eastward of Milford is Newhaven the Metropolis of the Colony begun in 1637. One Mr. Eaton being there Governour it is near to the shoals of Cape Cod and is one of the four united Colonies The next Sea-Town Eastward of New-haven is called Guilford about ten mile and I think belonging to that Colony From Guilford to Connecticut-River is near upon twenty miles the fresh River Connecticut bears the name of another Colony begun in the year 1636 and is also one of the four united Colonies Upon this River are situated 13 Towns within two three four miles off one another At the mouth of the River on the West-side is the Lord-Say and Brooks for t called Saybrook-fort Beyond this Northward is the Town of Windsor then Northampton then Pinsers-house On the Eastside of the River Hartford about it low land well stored with meadow and very fertile Wethersfield is also situated upon Connecticut River and Springfield but this Town although here seated is in the jurisdiction of the Mattachusets and hath been infamous by reason of Witches therein Hadley lyes to the Northward of Springfield New-London which I take to be in the jurisdiction of this Coloney is situated to the Eastward of Connecticut-River by a small River and is not far from the Sea From Connecticut-River long Island stretcheth it self to Mohegan one hundred and twenty miles but it is but marrow and about sixteen miles from the main the considerablest Town upon it is Southampton built on the Southside of the Island towards the Eastern end opposite to this on the Northernside is Feversham Westward is Ashford Huntingdon c. The Island is well stored with Sheep and other Cattle and Corn and is reasonable populous Between this Island and the mouth of Connecticut-River lyeth three small Islands Shelter-Island Fishers-Island and the Isle of Wight Over against New-London full South lyeth Block-Island The next place of note on the Main is Narragansets-Bay within which Bay is Rhode-Island a Harbour for the Shunamitish Brethren as the Saints Errant the Quakers who are rather to be esteemed Vagabonds than Religious persons c. At the further end of the Bay by the mouth of Narragansets-River on the South-side thereof was old Plimouth plantation Anno 1602. Twenty mile out to Sea South of Rhode-Island lyeth Martins vineyard in the way to Virginia this Island is governed by a discreet Gentleman Mr. Mayhew by name To the Eastward of Martin's vinyard lyeth Nantocket-Island and further Eastward Elizabeths-Island these Islands are twenty or thirty mile asunder and now we are come to Cape-Cod Cape-Cod was so called at the first by Captain Gosnold and his Company Anno Dom. 1602 because they took much of that fish there and afterward was called Cape-James by Captain Smith the point of the Cape is called Point-Cave and Tuckers Terror and by the French and Dutch Mallacar by reason of the perillous shoals The first place to be taken notice of on the South-side of the Cape is Wests-Harbour the first Sea-Town Sandwich formerly called Duxbury in the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth Doubling the Cape we come into the great Bay on the West whereof is New-Plimouth-Bay on the Southwest-end of this Bay is situated New Plimouth the first English-Colony that took firm possession in this Countrey which was in 1620 and the first Town built therein whose longitude is 315 degrees in latitude 41 degrees and 37 minutes it was built nine years before any other
or fifty pounds a year and is a quarter of a mile over The River Mistick runs through the right side of the Town and by its near approach to Charles-River in one place makes a very narrow neck where stands most part of the Town the market place not far from the waterside is surrounded with houses forth of which issue two streets orderly built and beautified with Orchards and Gardens their meeting-house stands on the North-side of the market having a little hill behind it there belongs to this Town one thousand and two hundred Acres of arable four hundred head of Cattle and as many Sheep these also provide themselves Farms in the Country Up higher in Charles-River west-ward is a broad Bay two miles over into which runs Stony River and Maddy-River Towards the South-west in the middle of the Bay is a great Oyster bank towards the North-west is a Creek upon the shore is situated the village of Medford it is a mile and half from Charles-town Aâ— the bottom of the Bay the River begins to be narrower half a quarter of a mile broad by the North-side of the Râ—ver is New town three miles from Charles-town a league and half by water it was first intended for a City the neatest and best compacted Town having many fair structures and handsom contrived streets the Inhabitants rich they have many hundred Acres of land paled with one common fence a mile and half long and store of Cattle it is now called Cambridge where is a Colledg for Students of late it stretcheth from Charles-River to the Southern part of Merrimach-River Half a mile thence on the same side of the Rvier is Water-town built upon one of the branches of Charles-River very fruitful and of large extent watered with many pleasant springs and small Rivulets the Inhabitants live scatteringly Within half a mile is a great pond divided between the two Towns a mile and half from the Town is a fall of fresh waters which conveigh themselves into the Ocean through Charles-River a little below the fall of waters they have a wair to catch fish wherein they take store of Basse Shades Alwives Frost fish and Smelts in two tides they have gotten one hundred thousand of these fishes They have store of Cattle and Sheep and near upon two thousand Acres of arable land Ships of small burden may come up to these Towns We will now return to Charles-town again where the River Mistick runs on the North-side of the Town that is the right side as before said where on the Northwest-side of the River is the Town of Mistick three miles from Charles-town a league and half by water a scattered village at the head of this River are great and spacious ponds full of Alewives in the spring-time the notedst place for this sort of fish On the West of this River is Mâ—rchant Craddock's plantation where he impaled a park Upon the same River and on the North-side is the Town of Malden The next Town is Winnisimet a mile from Charles-town the River only parting them this is the last Town in the still bay of Massachusets Without Pullin-point six miles North-cast from Winnisimet is Cawgust or Sagust or Sangut now called Linn situated at the bottom of a Bay near a River which upon the breaking up of winter with a furious Torrent vents it self into the Sea the Town consists of more than one hundred dwelling-houses their Church being built on a level undefended from the North-west wind is made with steps descending into the Earth their streets are straight and but thin of houses the people most husbandmen At the end of the Sandy beach is a neck of land called Nahant it is six miles in circumference Black William an Indian Duke out of his generosity gave this to the English At the mouth of the River runs a great Creek into a great marsh called Rumney-marsh which is four miles long and a mile broad this Town hath the benefit of minerals of divers kinds Iron Lead one Iron mill store of Cattle Arable land and meadow To the North-ward of Linn is Marvil or Marble-head a small Harbour the shore rockie upon which the Town is built consisting of a few scattered houses here they have stages for fishermen Orchards and Gardens half a mile within land good pastures and Arable land Four miles North of Marble-head is situated New-Salem whose longitude is 315 degrees and latitude 42 degrees 35 minutes upon a plain having a River on the South and another on the North it hath two Harbours Winter Harbour and Summer Harbour which lyeth within Darbie's sort they have store of Meadow and Arable in this Town are some very rich Merchants Upon the Northern Cape of the Massachusets that is Cape-Aun a place of fishing is situated the Town of Glocester where the Massachusets Colony first set down but Salem was the first Town built in that Colony here is a Harbour for Ships To the North-ward of Cape-Aun is Wonasquam a dangerous place to sail by in stormie weather by reason of the many Rocks and soaming breakers The next Town that presents it self to view is Ipswich situated by a fair River whose first rise is from a Lake or Pond twenty mile up betaking its course through a hideous Swamp for many miles a Harbour for Bears it issueth forth into a large Bay where they fish for Whales due East over against the Islands of Sholes a great place of fishing the mouth of that River is barr'd it is a good haven-town their meeting-house or Church is beautifully built store of Orchards and Gardens land for husbandry and Cattle Wenham is an inland Town very well watered lying between Salem and Ipswich consisteth most of men of judgment and experience in re rustica well stored with Cattle At the first rise of Ipswich-River in the highest part of the land near the head springs of many considerable Rivers Shashin one of the most considerable branches of Merrimach River and also at the rise of Mistick River and ponds full of pleasant springs is situated Wooburn an inland-Town four miles square beginning at the end of Charles-town bounds Six miles from Ipswich North-east is Rowley most of the Inhabitants have been Clothiers Nine miles from Salem to the North is Agowamine the best and spaciousest place for a plantation being twenty leagues to the Northward of New-Plimouth Beyond Agowamin is situated Hampton near the Sea-coasts not far from Merrimach-River this Town is like a Flower-deluce having two streets of houses wheeling off from the main body thereof they have great store of salt Marshes and Cattle the land is fertil but full of Swamps and Rocks Eight miles beyond Agowamin runneth the delightful River Merrimach or Monumach it is navigable for twenty miles and well stored with fish upon the banks grow stately Oaks excellent Ship timber not interiour to our English On the South-side of Merrimach-River twelve miles from Ipswich and near upon the wide venting streams
when Wine in their guts is at full Tide they quarrel fight and do one another mischief which is the conclusion of their drunken compotations When the day of payment comes they may justly complain of their costly sin of drunkenness for their shares will do no more than pay the reckoning if they save a Kental or two to buy shooâ—s and stockins shirts and wastcoats wâ—th 't is well otherwayes they must enter into the Merchants books for such things as they stand in need off becoming thereby the Merchants slaves when it riseth to a big sum are constrained to mortgage their plantation if they have any the Merchant when the time is expired is sure to seize upon their plantation and stock of Cartle turning them out of house and home poor Creatures â—o look out for a new habitation in some remote place where they begin the world again The lavish planters have the same fate partaking with them in the like bad husbandry of these the Merchant buys Beef Pork Pease Wheat and Indian Corn and sâ—lls it again many times to the fishermen Of the same nature are the people in the Dekes province who not long before I left the Countrey petitioned the Governour and Magistrates in the Massachusets to take them into their Government Birds of a feather will ralley together Anno Dom. 1671. The year being now well spent and the Government of the province turned topsiâ—â—vy being heartily weary and expecting the approach of winter I took my leave of my friends at Black-paint And on the 28 of August being Monday I shipt my self and my goods aboard of a shallâ—p bound for Boston towards Sun set â—â—e wind being contrary we put into Gibbâ—ns his Island a small Island in Winner harbour â—bout two leagues from black-point West-ward here we stayed till the 30. day being Wednesday about nine of the clock we set sail and towards Sun-set came up with Gorgiana the 31 day being Thursday we put into Cape-Ann-harbour about Suâ—â—â—t September the 1 being Saturday in the morning before day we seâ— sail and came to Boston about three of the clock in the afternoon where I â—ound the Inhabitants exceedingly â—fflâ—cted with griping of the guts and Heaver and Ague and bloudy Flux The Eight day of October being Wednesday I boarded the new-Supply of Boston 1â—0 Tun a Ship of better saâ—l than defence her Guns being small and for salutation only the Master Capt. Fairweather her sailers 16. and as many passengers Towards night I returned to Boston again the next day being Thanksgiving day on Fryday the Tenth day we weighed Anchor and fell down to Hull The 12 and 13 day about 20 leagues from Cape-Sable a bitter storm took us beginning at seven of the clock at night which put us in terrible fear of being driven upon the Cape or the Island of Sables where many a tall ship hath been wrackt November the One and twenty about two of the clock afternoon we saw within kenning before us thick clouds which put us in hope of land the Boson brings out his purse into which the passengers put their good will then presently he nails it to the main-mast up go the boyes to the mainmast-top sitting there like so many Crowes when after a while one of them cryes out land which was glad tidings to the wearied passengers the boyes descend and the purse being taken from the mast was distributed amongst them the lad that first descryed land having a double share about three of the clock Scilly was three leagues off The Four and twentieth day we came to Deal from thence the 25. to Lee the 26. being Sunday we steemed the Tide to Gravesend about two of the clock afternoon The 27 we came up with Wollich where I landed and refresht my self for that night next day I footed it four or five miles to Bexley in Kent to visit a near kinsman the next day proved rainie the 30 day being Fryday my kinsman accommodated me with a Horse and his man to Greenwich where I took a pair of Oars and went aboard our Ship then lying before Radeliff here I lay that night Next day being Saturday and the first of December I cleared my goods shot the bridge and landed at the Temple about seven of the clock at night which makes my voyage homeward 7 weeks and four days and from my first setting out from London to my returning to London again Eight years Six moneths and odd days Now by the merciful providence of the Almighty having perform'd Two voyages to the North-east parts of the Western-world I am safely arrived in my Native Countrey having in part made good the French proverb Travail where thou canst but dye where thou oughtest that is in thine own Countrey FINIS Chronological OBSERVATIONS OF AMERICA From the year of the World to the year of Christ 1673. LONDON Printed for Giles Widdowes at the Green 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Paul's-Church-yard 1674. The Preface THE Terrestrial World is by our learned Geographers divided into four parts Europe Asia Africa and America so named from Americus Vespucius the Florentine Seven years after Columbus although Columbus and Cabota deserved rather the honour of being Godfathers to it notwithstanding by this name it is now known to us but was utterly unknown to the Ancient Europeans before their times I will not say to the Africans and Asians for Plato in his Timeus relateth of a great Island called Atlantis and Philo the Jew in his book De mundo that it was over-flowen with water by reason of a mighty Earthquake The like happened to it 600 years before Plato thus was the Atlantick Ocean caused to be a Sea if you will believe the same Philosopher who flourished 366 years before the Birth of our Saviour America is bounded on the South with the streight of Magellan where there are many Islands distinguished by an interflowing Bay the West with the pacifique Sea or mare-del-zur which Sea runs towards the North separateing it from the East parts of Asia on the East with the Atlantick or our western Ocean called mare-del-Nort and on the North with the Sea that separateth it from Groveland thorow which Seas the supposed passage to China lyeth these North parts as yet are but barely discovered by our voyagers The length of this new World between the streights of Anian and Magellan is 2400 German miles in breadth between Cabo de fortuna near the Anian streights is 1300 German nâ—tles About 18 leagues from Nombre de dios on the South-Sea lyeth Panama a City having three fair Menasteriâ—s in it where the narrowest part of the Countrey is it is much less than Asia and far bigger than Europe and as the rest of the world divided into Islands and Continent the Continent supposed to contain about 1152400000 Acres The Native people I have spoken of already The discoverers and Planters of Colonies especially in the Northeast parts together with a continuation of the proceedings of the English in