TRAVELS
INTO
NORTH AMERICA;

CONTAINING

Its Natural History, and
A circumstantial Account of its Plantations and Agriculture in general,

WITH THE
CIVIL, ECCLESIASTICAL AND COMMERCIAL STATE OF THE COUNTRY,
The MANNERS of the INHABITANTS, and several curious and IMPORTANT REMARKS on various Subjects.

By PETER KALM,
Professor of Oeconomy in the University of Aobo in Swedish Finland, and Member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences.
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH
By JOHN REINHOLD FORSTER, F.A.S.

Enriched with a Map, several Cuts for the Illustration of Natural History, and some additional Notes.
VOL. I.
WARRINGTON:
Printed by WILLIAM EYRES.
MDCCLXX.

TO THE HONOURABLE

DAINES BARRINGTON,

One of his Majesty’s Justices of the Grand Sessions for the Counties of Anglesey, Caernarvon, and Merioneth.

SIR,

I Presume to prefix your name to a performance which will in some measure display to the British nation, the circumstances of a country which is so happy as to be under its protection.

Every lover of knowledge, especially of natural history, must be sensible of your zealous endeavours to promote every branch of it. It was my great happiness to fall within your notice, and to receive very substantial and seasonable favours from your [[iv]]patronage and recommendations. I shall ever remain mindful of your generosity and humanity towards me, but must lament that I have no other means of expressing my gratitude than by this publick acknowledgment.

Accept then, Dear Sir, my earnest wishes for your prosperity, and think me with the truest esteem,

Your most obliged,
and obedient
humble Servant,

John Reinhold Forster.

Warrington,
July 25th. 1770. [[v]]

PREFACE.

The present Volume of Professor Kalm’s Travels through North America, is originally written in the Swedish language, but was immediately after translated into the German by the two Murray’s, both of whom are Swedes, and one a pupil of Dr. Linnæus, and therefore we may be sure that this translation corresponds exactly with the original.

Baron Sten Charles Bielke, Vice president of the Court of Justice in Finland, was the first who made a proposal to the Royal Academy of Sciences at Stockholm, to send an able man to the northern parts of Siberia and Iceland, as places which are partly under the same latitude with Sweden, and to make there such observations and collections of seeds and plants, as would improve the Swedish husbandry, gardening, manufactures, [[vi]]arts and sciences. Dr. Linnæus found the proposal just, but he thought that a journey through North America would be yet of a more extensive utility, than that through the before-mentioned countries; for the plants of America were then little known, and not scientifically described, and by several trials, it seemed probable that the greatest part of the North American plants, would bear very well the Swedish winters; and what was more important, a great many American plants promised to be very useful in husbandry and physic.

Thus far this journey was a mere scheme; but as Captain Triewald, a man well known for his abilities in England, gave his Observations on the Cultivation of Silk in a series of Memoirs to the Royal Academy of Sciences, and mentioned therein a kind of mulberry tree, which was discovered by Dr. Linnæus, and which bore the rigours of the Swedish climate as well as a fir or pine tree; this circumstance revived the proposal of such a journey in the year 1745. Count Tessin, a nobleman of established merit both in the political and learned world, becoming president of the Royal Academy, it was unanimously agreed upon to send Professor Kalm to North America. The expences were at first a great obstacle; but the Royal Academy [[vii]]wrote to the three universities to assist them in this great and useful undertaking. Aobo sent first her small contribution, Lund had nothing to spare, but Upsala made up this deficiency by a liberal contribution.

Count Piper was intreated to give a family exhibition to Mr. Kalm, which he readily promised, but as the Academy had obtained from the convocation of the university of Upsala and the magistrates of Stockholm, another exhibition of the family of Helmsfield for Mr. Kalm, Count Piper refused to grant his exhibition, as being contrary to the statutes of the university and without any precedent, that one person should enjoy two exhibitions. The present king of Sweden being then prince royal, successor to the throne, and chancellor of the university, wrote to the convocation, and expressed his wishes to have from the treasury of the university for so useful a purpose, about 1000 plates, or about 150l. sterling. The university complied generously with the desire of her chancellor, and gave orders that the money should be paid to the Royal Academy. The board for promoting manufactures gave 300 plates, or about 45l. Mr. Kalm spent in this journey his salary, and besides very near 130l. of his own fortune, so that at his return he found [[viii]]himself obliged to live upon a very small pittance. The rest of the expences the Academy made up from her own fund.

We on purpose have given this detail from Mr. Kalm’s long preface, to shew the reader with what public spirit this journey has been supported in a country where money is so scarce, and what a patriotic and laudable ardor for the promotion of sciences in general, and especially of natural history and husbandry animates the universities, the public boards, and even the private persons, in this cold climate, which goes so far, that they chuse rather to spend their own private fortunes, than to give up so beneficial and useful a scheme. We have the same instance in Dr. Hasselquist, who with a sickly and consumptive constitution, went to Asia Minor, Egypt and Palestine, and collected such great riches in new plants and animals, that Dr. Linnæus’s system would never have contained so many species, had he not made use of these treasures, which the queen of Sweden generously bought by paying the debts of Dr. Hasselquist, who died in his attempt to promote natural history. The Reverend Mr. Osbeck in his voyage to China, made an infinite number of useful and interesting observations at the expence of his whole salary, and [[ix]]published them by the contributions of his parish. The Reverend Mr. Toreen died by the fatigues of the same voyage, and left his letters published along with Osbeck, as a monument of his fine genius, and spirit for promoting natural history. We here look upon the expences as trifling, but they are not so in Sweden, and therefore are certainly the best monuments to the honour of the nation and the great Linnæus, who in respect to natural history is the primum mobile of that country.

Professor Kalm having obtained leave of his Majesty to be absent from his post as professor, and having got a passport, and recommendations to the several Swedish ministers at the courts of London, Paris, Madrid, and at the Hague, in order to obtain passports for him in their respective states, set out from Upsala, the 16th. of October 1747, accompanied by Lars Yungstrœm, a gardener well skilled in the knowledge of plants and mechanics, and who had at the same time a good hand for drawing, whom he took into his service. He then set sail from Gothenburgh, the 11th. of December but a violent hurricane obliged the ship he was in to take shelter in the harbour of Grœmstad in Norway, from which place he made excursions to Arendal and Christiansand. He [[x]]went again to sea February the 8th. 1748, and arrived at London the 17th. of the same month. He staid in England till August 15th. in which interval of time he made excursions to Woodford in Essex, to little Gaddesden in Hertfordshire, where William Ellis, a man celebrated for his publications in husbandry lived, but whose practical husbandry Mr. Kalm found not to be equal to the theory laid down in his writings; he likewise saw Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire, Eaton and several other places, and all the curiosities and gardens in and about London: at last he went on board a ship, and traversed the ocean to Philadelphia in Pensylvania, which was formerly called New Sweden, where he arrived September the 26th. The rest of that year he employed in collecting seeds of trees and plants, and sending them up to Sweden; and in several excursions in the environs of Philadelphia. The winter he passed among his countrymen at Raccoon in New Jersey. The next year 1749, Mr. Kalm went through New Jersey and New York along the river Hudson to Albany, and from thence, after having crossed the lakes of St. George and Champlain, to Montreal and Quebec, he returned that very year against winter to Philadelphia, and sent a new cargo of seeds, plants and curiosities to Sweden. In [[xi]]the year 1750, Mr. Kalm saw the western parts of Pensylvania and the coast of New Jersey; Yungstrœm staid in the former province all the summer for the collection of seeds, and Prof. Kalm in the mean time passed New York and the blue mountains, went to Albany, then along the river Mohawk to the Iroquois nations, where he got acquainted with the Mohawk’s, Oneida’s, Tuskarora’s, Onandaga’s and Kayugaw’s. He then viewed and navigated the great lake Ontario, and saw the celebrated fall at Niagara. In his return from his summer expedition, he crossed the blue mountains in a different place, and in October again reached Philadelphia.

In the year 1751, the 13th. of February, he went at Newcastle on board a ship for England, and after a passage subject to many dangers in the most dreadful hurricanes, he arrived March the 27th. in the Thames, and two days after in London. He took passage for Gothenburgh May the 5th. and was the 16th. of the same month at the place of his destination, and the 13th. of June he again arrived at Stockholm, after having been on this truly useful expedition three years and eight months. He afterwards returned again to his place of professor at Aobo, where in a small garden of his own, he cultivates [[xii]]many hundreds of American plants, as there is not yet a public botanical garden for the use of the university, and he with great expectation wishes to see what plants will bear the climate, and bear good and ripe seeds so far north. He published the account of his journey by intervals, for want of encouragement, and fearing the expences of publishing at once in a country where few booksellers are found, and where the author must very often embrace the business of bookseller, in order to reimburse himself for the expences of his publication. He published in his first volume observations on England, and chiefly on its husbandry, where he with the most minute scrupulousness and detail, entered into the very minutiæ of this branch of his business for the benefit of his countrymen, and this subject he continued at the beginning of the second volume. A passage cross the Atlantic ocean is a new thing to Swedes, who are little used to it, unless they go in the few East India ships of their country. Every thing therefore was new to Mr. Kalm, and he omitted no circumstance unobserved which are repeated in all the navigators from the earlier times down to our own age. It would be a kind of injustice to the public, to give all this at large to the reader. All that part describing [[xiii]]England and its curiosities and husbandry we omitted. The particulars of the passage from England to Pensylvania we abridged; no circumstance interesting to natural history or to any other part of literature has been omitted. And from his arrival at Philadelphia, we give the original at large, except where we omitted some trifling circumstances, viz. the way of eating oysters, the art of making apple dumplings, and some more of the same nature, which struck that Swedish gentleman with their novelty.

Mr. Kalm makes use of the Swedish measure; its foot is to the English foot, as 1134 to 1350. For his meteorological observations, he employed the thermometer of Prof. Celsius generally made use of in Sweden, and his was of Celsius’s own making; the interval from the point of freezing to the point of boiling water, is equally divided in this thermometer into 100 parts. In the names of plants, we have chiefly employed after his directions the Linnæan names in the last edition of his Spec. Plantarum, and Systema Naturæ, Vol. 2. But as his descriptions of animals, plants, and minerals are very short, he promises to give them at large some time hence in a Latin work. He excuses the negligence of his stile, from the time in which he methodised [[xiv]]his observations, which was commonly at night, after being fatigued with the business of the preceding day, when his spirits were almost exhausted, and he, incapable of that sprightliness which commends so many curious performances of that nature.

He gives you his observations as they occurred day after day, which makes him a faithful relater, notwithstanding it takes away all elegance of style, and often occasions him to make very sudden transitions from subjects very foreign to one another. This defect we will endeavour to supply by a very copious index at the end of the whole work, rather than derange the author’s words, which are the more to be relied on, as being instantly committed to paper warm from his reflections.

At last he arms himself with a very noble indifference against the criticism of several people, founded on the great aim he had in view by his performance, which was no less than public utility. This he looks upon as the true reward of his pains and expences.

These are the contents of his long preface. We have nothing to add, but that we intend to go on in this work as soon as possible, hoping to be supported and encouraged in this undertaking, by a nation [[xv]]which is the possessor of that great continent, a great part of which is here accurately and impartially described, especially at this time when American affairs attract the attention of the public.

We intend to join for the better illustration of the work, a map and drawings of American birds and animals which were not in the original. They will be copied from original drawings and real birds and animals from North America, which we have access to, and must therefore give to this translation a superiority above the original and the German translation.

An encourager of this work proposed it as an improvement to the translation of Kalm’s travels, to add in the margin the paging of the original, as by this means recourse would be had easily to the quotations made by Dr. Linnæus. We would very readily have complied with this desideratum, had we had the Swedish edition of this work at hand, or had the work not been too far advanced at the time we got this kind hint: however this will be remedied by a copious index, which will certainly appear at the end of the whole work.

As we have not yet been able to procure a compleat list of the subscribers and encouragers [[xvi]]of this undertaking, we choose rather to postpone it, than to give an imperfect one: at the same time we assure the public, that it shall certainly appear in one of the subsequent volumes.

We find it necessary here to mention, that as many articles in Mr. Kalm’s travels required illustrations, the publisher has taken the liberty to join here and there some notes, which are marked at the end with F. The other notes not thus marked were kindly communicated by the publisher’s friends.

Lastly, we take this opportunity to return our most sincere thanks in this public manner to the ladies and gentlemen, who have generously in various ways exerted themselves in promoting the publication of these useful remarks of an impartial, accurate and judicious foreigner, on a country which is at present so much the object of public deliberation and private conversation. [[1]]

PETER KALM’s
TRAVELS.

August the 5th. 1748.

I with my servant Lars Yungstrœm (who joined to his abilities as gardener, a tolerable skill in mechanics and drawing) went at Gravesend on board the Mary Gally, Captain Lawson, bound for Philadelphia; and though it was so late as six o’clock in the afternoon, we weighed anchor and sailed a good way down the Thames before we again came to anchor.

August the 6th. Very early in the morning we resumed our voyage, and after a few hours sailing we came to the mouth of the Thames, where we turned into the channel and sailed along the Kentish coast, which consists of steep and almost perpendicular [[2]]chalk hills, covered at the top with some soil and a fine verdure, and including strata of flints, as it frequently is found in this kind of chalk-hills in the rest of England. And we were delighted in viewing on them excellent corn fields, covered for the greatest part with wheat, then ripening.

At six o’clock at night, we arrived at Deal, a little well known town, situate at the entrance of a bay exposed to the southern and easterly winds. Here commonly the outward bound ships provide themselves with greens, fresh victuals, brandy, and many more articles. This trade, a fishery, and in the last war the equipping of privateers, has enriched the inhabitants.

August the 7th. When the tide was out, I saw numbers of fishermen resorting to the sandy shallow places, where they find round small eminences caused by the excrements of the log worms, or sea worms, (Lumbrici marini. Linn.) who live in the holes leading to these hillocks, sometimes eighteen inches deep, and they are then dug out with a small three tacked iron fork and used as baits.

August the 8th. At three o’clock we tided down the channel, passed Dover, and saw plainly the opinion of the celebrated Camden in his Britannia confirmed, that [[3]]here England had been formerly joined to France and Flanders by an isthmus. Both shores form here two opposite points; and both are formed of the same chalk hills, which have the same configuration, so that a person acquainted with the English coasts and approaching those of Picardy afterwards, without knowing them to be such, would certainly take them to be the English ones.[1]

August the 9th–12th. We tided and alternately sailed down the channel, and passed Dungness, Fairlight, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, the Peninsula of Portland and Bolthead, a point behind which Plymouth lies; during all which time we had very little wind.

August the 13th. Towards night we got out of the English channel into the Bay of Biscay.

August the 14th. We had contrary wind, and this increased the rolling of the ship, for it is generally remarked that the Bay of Biscay has the greatest and broadest waves, which are of equal size with those between America and Europe; they are commonly half an English mile in length, and have a height proportionable to it. The Baltic [[4]]and the German ocean has on the contrary short and broken waves.

Whenever an animal is killed on board the ship, the sailors commonly hang some fresh pieces of meat for a while into the sea, and it is said, it then keeps better.

August the 15th. The same swell of the sea still continued, but the waves began to smooth, and a foam swimming on them was said to forebode in calm weather, a continuance of the same for some days.

About noon a north easterly breeze sprung up, and in the afternoon it blew more, and this gave us a fine spectacle; for the great waves rolled the water in great sheets, in one direction, and the north easterly wind curled the surface of these waves quite in another. By the beating and dashing of the waves against one another, with a more than ordinary violence, we could see that we passed a current, whose direction the captain could not determine.

August the 16th–21st. The same favourable breeze continued to our great comfort and amazement, for the captain observed that it was very uncommon to meet with an easterly or north-easterly wind between Europe and the Azores (which the sailors call the Western Islands) for more than two days together; for the more common [[5]]wind is here a westerly one: but beyond the Azores they find a great variety of winds, especially about this time of the year; nor do the westerly winds continue long beyond these isles; and to this it is owing, that when navigators have passed the Azores, they think they have performed one half of the voyage, although in reality it be but one third part. These isles come seldom in sight; for the navigators keep off them, on account of the dangerous rocks under water surrounding them. Upon observation and comparison of the journal, we found that we were in forty-three deg. twenty-four min. north lat. and thirty and a half degrees west long. from London.

August the 22d. About noon the captain assured us, that in twenty-four hours we should have a south-west wind: and upon my enquiring into the reasons of his foretelling this with certainty, he pointed at some clouds in the south-west, whose points turned towards north-east, and said they were occasioned by a wind from the opposite quarter. At this time I was told we were about half way to Pensylvania.

August the 23d. About seven o’clock in the morning the expected south-west wind sprung up, and soon accelerated our [[6]]course so much, that we went at the rate of eight knots an hour.

August the 24th. The wind shifted and was in our teeth. We were told by some of the crew to expect a little storm, the higher clouds being very thin and striped and scattered about the sky like parcels of combed wool, or so many skains of yarn, which they said forebode a storm. These striped clouds ran north-west and south-east, in the direction of the wind we then had. Towards night the wind abated and we had a perfect calm, which is a sign of a change of wind.

August the 25th. and 26th. A west wind sprung up and grew stronger and stronger, so that at last the waves washed our deck.

August the 27th. In the morning we got a better wind, which went through various points of the compass and brought on a storm from north-east towards night.

Our captain told me an observation founded on long experience, viz. that though the winds changed frequently in the Atlantic ocean, especially in summer time, the most frequent however was the western, and this accounts for the passage from America to Europe commonly being shorter, [[7]]than that from Europe to America. Besides this, the winds in the Atlantic during summer are frequently partial, so that a storm may rage on one part of it, and within a few miles of the place little or no storm at all may be felt. In winter the winds are more constant, extensive and violent; so that then the same wind reigns on the greater part of the ocean for a good while, and causes greater waves than in summer.

August the 30th. As I had observed the night before some strong flashes of lightening without any subsequent clap of thunder, I enquired of our captain, whether he could assign any reasons for it. He told me these phœnomena were pretty common, and the consequence of a preceding heat in the atmosphere; but that when lightenings were observed in winter, prudent navigators were used to reef their sails, as they are by this sign certain of an impendent storm; and so likewise in that season, a cloud rising from the north-west, is an infallible forerunner of a great tempest.

September the 7th. As we had the first day of the month contrary wind, on the second it shifted to the north, was again contrary the third, and fair the fourth and following days. The fifth we were in forty deg. [[8]]three min. north lat. and between fifty-three and fifty-four deg. west long. from London.

Besides the common waves rolling with the wind, we met on the 4th. and 5th. inst. with waves coming from south-west, which the captain gave as a mark of a former storm from that quarter in this neighbourhood.

September the 8th. We crossed by a moderate wind, a sea with the highest waves we met on the whole passage, attributed by the captain to the division between the great ocean and the inner American gulf; and soon after we met with waves greatly inferior to those we observed before.

September the 9th. In the afternoon we remarked that in some places the colour of the sea (which had been hitherto of a deep blue) was changed into a paler hue; some of these spots were narrow stripes of twelve or fourteen fathoms breadth, of a pale green colour, which is supposed to be caused by the sand, or as some say, by the weeds under water.

September the 12th. We were becalmed that day, and as we in this situation observed a ship, which we suspected to be a Spanish privateer, our fear was very great; but we saw some days after our arrival at [[9]]Philadelphia the same ship arrive, and heard that they seeing us had been under the same apprehensions with ourselves.

September the 13th. Captain Lawson, who kept his bed for the greater part of the voyage, on account of an indisposition, assured us yesterday we were in all appearance very near America: but as the mate was of a different opinion, and as the sailors could see no land from the head of the mast, nor find ground by the lead, we steered on directly towards the land. About three o’clock in the morning the captain gave orders to heave the lead, and we found but ten fathom: the second mate himself took the lead and called out ten and fourteen fathoms, but a moment after the ship struck on the sand, and this shock was followed by four other very violent ones. The consternation was incredible; and very justly might it be so; for there were above eighty persons on board, and the ship had but one boat: but happily our ship got off again, after having been turned. At day break, which followed soon after (for the accident happened half an hour past four) we saw the continent of America within a Swedish mile before us: the coast was whitish, low, and higher up covered with firs. We found out, that the sand we struck on, lay opposite [[10]]Arcadia in Maryland, in thirty-seven deg. fifty min. North lat.

We coasted the shores of Maryland all the day, but not being able to reach cape Hinlopen, where we intended to take a pilot on board, we cruized all night before the bay of Delaware. The darkness of the night made us expect a rain, but we found that only a copious fall of dew ensued, which made our coats quite wet, and the pages of a book, accidently left open on the deck, were in half an hours time after sun-setting likewise wet, and we were told by the captain and the sailors that both in England and in America a copious dew was commonly followed by a hot and sultry day.

September the 14th. We saw land on our larboard in the west, which appeared to be low, white, sandy, and higher up the country covered with firs, cape Hinlopen is a head of land running into the sea from the western shore, and has a village on it. The eastern shore belongs here to New Jersey, and the western to Pensylvania. The bay of Delaware has many sands, and from four to eleven fathom water.

The fine woods of oak, hiccory and firs covering both shores made a fine appearance, and were partly employed in ship-building [[11]]at Philadelphia; for which purpose every year some English captains take a passage in autumn to this town, and superintend the building of new ships during winter, with which they go to sea next spring: and at this time it was more usual than common, as the French and Spanish privateers had taken many English merchant ships.

A little after noon we reached the mouth of Delaware river, which is here about three English miles broad, but decreases gradually so much, that it is scarcely a mile broad at Philadelphia.

Here we were delighted in seeing now and then between the woods some farm houses surrounded with corn fields, pastures well-stocked with cattle, and meadows covered with fine hay; and more than one sense was agreeably affected, when the wind brought to us the finest effluvia of odoriferous plants and flowers, or that of the fresh made hay: these agreeable sensations and the fine scenery of nature on this continent, so new to us, continued till it grew quite dark.

Here I will return to sea, and give the reader a short view of the various occurrences belonging to Natural-History, during our crossing the Ocean. [[12]]

Of sea weeds (Fucus linn.) we saw August the 16th. and 17th. a kind which had a similarity to a bunch of onions tied together, these bunches were of the size of the fist, and of a white colour. Near the coast of America within the American gulf, September the 11th. we met likewise with several sea weeds, one species of which was called by the sailors rock-weed; another kind looked like a string of pearls, and another was white, about a foot long, narrow, every where equally wide and quite strait. From August the 24th. to September the 11th. we saw no other weeds, but those commonly going under the name of Gulf-weed, because they are supposed to come from the gulf of Florida; others call it Sargazo, and Dr. Linnæus, Fucus natans. Its stalk is very slender, rotundato-angulated, and of a dark green, it has many branches and each of them has numerous leaves disposed in a row, they are extremely thin, are serrated, and are a line or a line and a half wide, so that they bear a great resemblance to the leaves of Iceland-moss; their colour is a yellowish green. Its fruit in a great measure resembles unripe juniper berries, is round, greenish yellow, almost smooth on the outside, and grows under the leaves on short footstalks, of two or three [[13]]lines length; under each leaf are from one to three berries, but I never have seen them exceed that number. Some berries were small, and when cut were quite hollow and consisted of a thin peel only, which is calculated to communicate their buoyancy to the whole plant. The leaves grow in proportion narrower, as they approach the extremities of the branches: their upper sides are smooth, the ribs are on the under sides, and there likewise appear small roots of two, three or four lines length. I was told by our mate that gulf weed, dried and pounded, was given in America to women in childbed, and besides this it is also used there in fevers. The whole ocean is as if it were covered with this weed, and it must also be in immense quantities in the gulf of Florida, from whence all this driving on the ocean is said to come. Several little shells pointed like horns, and Escharæ or Horn wracks are frequently found on it: and seldom is there one bundle of this plant to be met with, which does not contain either a minute shrimp, or a small crab, the latter of which is the Cancer minutus of Dr. Linnæus. Of these I collected eight, and of the former three, all which I put in a glass with water: the little shrimp moved as swift as an arrow round the glass, but sometimes [[14]]its motion was slow, and sometimes it stood still on one side, or at the bottom of the glass. If one of the little crabs approached, it was seized by its forepaws, killed and sucked; for which reason they were careful to avoid their fate. It was quite of the shape of a shrimp; in swimming it moved always on one side, the sides and the tail moving alternately. It was capable of putting its forepaws entirely into its mouth: its antennæ were in continual motion. Having left these little shrimps together with the crabs during night, I found on the morning all the crabs killed and eaten by the shrimps. The former moved when alive with incredible swiftness in the water. Sometimes when they were quite at the bottom of the glass, with a motion something like to that of a Puceron or Podura of Linnæus; they came in a moment to the surface of the water. In swimming they moved all their feet very close, sometimes they held them down as other crabs do, sometimes they lay on their backs, but as soon as the motion of their feet ceased, they always sunk to the bottom. The remaining shrimps I preserved in spirits, and the loss of my little crabs was soon repaired by other specimens which are so plentiful in each of the floating bundles of gulf-weed. [[15]]For a more minute description of which I must refer the reader to another work, I intend to publish. In some places we saw a crab of the size of the fist, swimming by the continual motion of its feet, which being at rest, the animal began immediately to sink. And one time I met with a great red crawfish, or lobster, floating on the surface of the sea.

Blubbers, or Medusæ Linn., we found of three kinds: the first is the Medusa aurita Linn.; it is round, purple coloured, opens like a bag, and in it are as if it were four white rings, their size varies from one inch diameter to six inches; they have not that nettling and burning quality which other blubbers have, such for instance as are on the coast of Norway, and in the ocean. These we met chiefly in the channel and in the Bay of Biscay.

After having crossed more than half of the ocean between Europe and America, we met with a kind of blubber, which is known to Sailors by the name of the Spanish or Portugueze man of War, it looks like a great bladder, or the lungs of a quadruped, compressed on both sides, about six inches in diameter, of a fine purple-red colour, and when touched by the naked skin of the human body, it causes a greater burning than [[16]]any other kind of blubber. They are often overturned by the rolling of the waves, but they are again standing up in an instant, and keep the sharp or narrow side uppermost.

Within the American gulf we saw not only these Spanish men of War, but another kind too, for which the Sailors had no other name but that of a blubber. It was of the size of a pewter plate, brown in the middle, with a pale margin, which was in continual motion.

Of the Lepas anatifera Linn. I saw on the 30th. of August a log of wood, which floated on the ocean, quite covered. Of insects I saw in the channel, when we were in sight of the Isle of Wight several white butterflies, very like to the Papilio Brassicæ Linn. They never settled, and by their venturing at so great a distance from land they caused us just astonishment.

Some common flies were in our cabbin alive during the whole voyage, and it cannot therefore be determined whether they were originally in America, or whether they came over with the Europeans.

Of Cetaceous fish we met with Porpesses, or as some sailors call them Sea-hogs[2] (Delphinus [[17]]Phocæna, Linn.) first in the channel and then they continued every where on this side the Azores, where they are the only fish navigators meet with; but beyond these isles they are seldom seen, till again in the neighbourhood of America we saw them equally frequent to the very mouth of Delaware river. They always appeared in shoals, some of which consisted of upwards of an hundred individuals; their swimming was very swift, and though they often swam along side of our ship, being taken as it were with the noise caused by the ship cutting the waves, they however soon outwent her, when they were tired with staring at her. They are from four to eight feet long, have a bill like in shape to that of a goose, a white belly, and leap up into the air frequently four feet high, and from four to eight feet in length; though their snoring indicates the effort which a leap of [[18]]that nature costs them. Our sailors made many vain attempts to strike one of them with the harp iron from the forecastle, when they came within reach, but their velocity always eluded their skill.

Another cetaceous fish, of the Dolphin kind,[3] with which we met, is called by the sailors Bottle-nose, it swims in great shoals, has a head like a bottle, and is killed by a harpoon, and is sometimes eaten. These fish are very large, and some fully twelve feet long; their shape, and manner of tumbling and swimming make them nearly related to Porpesses. They are to be met with every where in the ocean from the channel to the very neighbourhood of America.

One Whale we saw at a distance, and knew it by the water which it spouted up.

A Dog-fish of a considerable size followed the ship for a little while, but it was soon out of sight, without our being able to determine to which species it belonged: [[19]]this was the only cartilaginous fish we saw on the whole passage.

Of the bony fish, we saw several beyond the Azores, but never one on this side of those isles, one of them was of a large size, and we saw it at a distance; the sailors called it an Albecor, and it is Dr. Linnæus’s Scomber Thynnus.

The Dolphin of the English is the Dorado of the Portugueze, and Dr. Linnæus calls it Coryphæna Hippuris; it is about two feet and a half long, near the head six inches deep, and three inches broad; from the head the Dolphin decreases on all sides towards the tail, where its perpendicular depth is one inch and a half, and its breadth hardly one inch. The colour of the back near the head is a fine green on a silver ground, but near the tail of a deep blue; the belly is white, and sometimes mixed with a deep yellow, on the sides it has some round pale brown spots. It has six and not seven fins as was imagined; two of them are on the breast, two on the belly, one at the tail extending to the anus, and one along the whole back, which is of a fine blue: when the fish is just taken the extremities of the most outward rays in the tail were eight inches one from another. Their motion when they [[20]]swam behind, or along side of the ship was very slow, and gave a fair opportunity to hit them with the harpoon, though some are taken with a hook and line, and a bait of chicken bowels, small fish, or pieces of his own species, or the flying fish, which latter are their chief food: and it is by their chasing them, that the flying fish leave their element to find shelter in one to which they are strangers. The Dolphins sometimes leap a fathom out of the water, and love to swim about casks and logs of wood, that sometimes drive in the sea. They are eaten with thick butter, when boiled, and sometimes fried, and afford a palatable food, but rather somewhat dry. In the bellies of the fish of this species which we caught, several animals were found, viz. an Ostracion; a little fish with blue eyes, which was yet alive, being just the moment before swallowed, and measuring two inches in length; another little fish; a curious marine insect, and a flying fish, all which not yet being damaged by digestion, I preserved in spirits.

The Flying Fish (Exocoetus volitans, Linn.) are always seen in great shoals, sometimes of an hundred or more getting at once out of the water, being pursued by greater fish, and chiefly by Dolphins; they rise about a yard, and even a fathom above the water [[21]]in their flight, but this latter height they only are at, when they take their flight from the top of a wave; and sometimes it is said they fall on the deck of ships. The greatest distance they fly, is a good musket-shot, and this they perform in less than half a minute’s time; their motion is somewhat like that of the yellow-hammer, (Emberiza Citrinella, Linn.). It is very remarkable that I found the course they took always to be against the wind, and though I was contradicted by the sailors, who affirmed that they went at any direction, I nevertheless was confirmed in my opinion by a careful observation during the whole voyage, according to which they fly constantly either directly against the wind, or somewhat in an oblique direction.[4]

We saw likewise the fish called Bonetos, (Scomber Pelamys, Linn.) they were likewise in shoals, hunting some smaller fish, which chase caused a noise like to that of a cascade, because they were all swimming close in a body; but they always kept out of the reach of our harpoons. [[22]]

Of amphibious animals, or reptiles; we met twice with a Turtle, one of which was sleeping, the other swam without taking notice of our ship; both were of two feet diameter.

Birds are pretty frequently seen on the ocean, though Aquatic Birds are more common than Land Birds.

The Petrel (Procellaria Pelagica, Linn.) was our companion from the channel to the shores of America. Flocks of this bird were always about our ship, chiefly in that part of the sea, which being cut by the ship, forms a smooth surface, where they frequently seem to settle, though always on the wing. They pick up or examine every thing that falls accidentally from the ship, or is thrown over board: little fish seem to be their chief food; in day time they are silent, in the dark clamorous; they are reputed to forebode a storm, for which reason the sailors disliking their company, complimented them with the name of witches; but they are as frequent in fair weather, without a storm following their appearance. To me it appeared as if they stayed sometimes half an hour and longer under the waves, and the sailors assured me they did. They look like swallows, and like them they skim sometimes on the water. [[23]]

The Shearwater (Procellaria Puffinus, Linn.) is another sea-bird, which we saw every where on our voyage, from the channel to the American coasts; it has much the appearance and size of the dark-grey Sea-gull, or of a Duck; it has a brown back, and commonly a white ring round its neck, and a peculiar slow way of flying. We plainly saw some of these birds feed on fish.

The Tropic bird (Phaëton æthereus, Linn.) has very much the shape of a gull, but two very long feathers, which it has in its tail, distinguish it enough from any other bird; its flight is often exceedingly high: the first of this kind we met, was at about forty deg. north lat. and forty-nine or fifty deg. west long. from London.

Common Gulls (Larus canus, Linn.) we saw, when we were opposite the Land’s End, the most westerly cape of England, and when according to our reckoning we were opposite Ireland.

Terns (Sterna hirundo, Linn.) though of a somewhat darker colour than the common ones, we found after the forty-first deg. of north lat. and forty-seventh deg. west long. from London, very plentifully, and sometimes in flocks of some hundreds; sometimes they settled, as if tired, on our ship. [[24]]

Within the American gulph we discovered a sea-bird at a little distance from the ship, which the sailors called a Sea-hen.

Land-birds are now and then seen at sea, and sometimes at a good distance from any land, so that it is often difficult, to account for their appearance in so uncommon a place. August the 18th. we saw a bird which settled on our ship, and was perfectly like the great Titmouse, (Parus major, Linn.) upon an attempt to catch it, it got behind the sails, and could never be caught.

September the 1st. We observed some Land-birds flying about our ship, which we took for Sand Martins (Hirundo riparia, Linn.) sometimes they settled on our ship, or on the sails; they were of a greyish brown colour on their back, their breast white, and the tail somewhat furcated; a heavy shower of rain drove them afterwards away, September the 2d. a Swallow fluttered about the ship, and sometimes it settled on the mast; it seemed to be very tired; several times it approached our cabin windows, as if it was willing to take shelter there. These cases happened about forty deg. north lat. and between forty-seven and forty-nine deg. west long. from London, and also about twenty deg. long. or [[25]]more than nine hundred and twenty sea miles from any land whatsoever.

September the 10th. within the American gulph a large bird, which we took for an Owl, and likewise a little bird settled on our sails.

September the 12th. a Wood-pecker settled on our rigging: its back was of a speckled grey, and it seemed extremely fatigued. And another land-bird of the passerine class, endeavoured to take shelter and rest on our ship.

Before I entirely take leave of the sea, I will communicate my observations on two curious phœnomena.

In the channel and in the ocean we saw at night time, sparks of fire, as if flowing on the water, especially where it was agitated, sometimes one single spark swam for the space of more than one minute on the ocean before it vanished. The sailors observed them commonly to appear during, and after a storm from the north, and that often the sea is as if it were full of fire, and that some such shining sparks would likewise stick to the masts and sails.

Sometimes this light had not the appearance of sparks, but looked rather like the phosphorescence of putrid wood.

The Thames-water which made our provision of fresh water, is reputed to be the [[26]]best of any. It not only settled in the oak casks it is kept in, but becomes in a little time stinking, when stopped up; however this nauseous smell it soon looses, after being filled into large stone juggs, and exposed to the open fresh air for two or three hours together. Often the vapours arising from a cask which has been kept close and stopped up for a great while take fire, if a candle is held near them when the cask is opened, and the Thames water is thought to have more of this quality than any other; though I was told that this even happened with any other water in the same circumstances.

Now I can resume my narrative, and therefore observe that we afterwards sailed on the river with a fair wind, pretty late at night. In the dawn of the evening we passed by Newcastle, a little town on the western shore of the river Delaware. It was already so dark, that we could hardly know it, but by the light which appeared through some of the windows. The Dutch are said to have been the first founders of this place, which is therefore reckoned the most ancient in the country, even more ancient than Philadelphia. But its trade can by no means be compared with the Philadelphia trade, though its situation has more advantages in several respects; one of which is, [[27]]that the river seldom freezes before it, and consequently ships can come in and go out at any time. But near Philadelphia it is almost every winter covered with ice, so that navigation is interrupted for some weeks together. But the country about Philadelphia and farther up, being highly cultivated, and the people bringing all their goods to that place, Newcastle must always be inferior to it.

I mentioned, that the Dutch laid the foundations of this town. This happened at the time, when this country was as yet subject to Sweden. But the Dutch crept in, and intended by degrees to dispossess the Swedes, as a people who had taken possession of their property. They succeeded in their attempt; for the Swedes not being able to bear with this encroachment, came to a war, in which the Dutch got the better. But they did not enjoy the fruits of their victory long: for a few years after, the English came and deprived them of their acquisition, and have ever since continued in the undisturbed possession of the country. Somewhat later at night we cast anchor, the pilot not venturing to carry the ship up the river in the dark, several sands being in the way.

September 15th. In the dawn of the [[28]]morning we weighed anchor, and continued our voyage up the river. The country was inhabited almost every where on both sides. The farm-houses were however pretty far asunder. About eight o’clock in the morning we sailed by the little town of Chester, on the western side of the river. In this town, our mate, who was born in Philadelphia, shewed me the places, which the Swedes still inhabit.

At last we arrived in Philadelphia about ten o’Clock in the morning. We had not been more than six weeks, or (to speak more accurately) not quite forty one days on our voyage from Gravesend to this place, including the time we spent at Deal, in supplying ourselves with the necessary fresh provisions, &c. our voyage was therefore reckoned one of the shortest. For it is common in winter time to be fourteen, nineteen, or more weeks in coming from Gravesend to Philadelphia. Hardly any body ever had a more pleasant voyage over this great ocean, than we had. Captain Lawson affirmed this several times. Nay he assured us he had never seen such calm weather in this ocean, though he had crossed it very often. The wind was generally so favourable that a boat of a middling size might have sailed in perfect safety. The [[29]]sea never went over our cabin, and but once over the deck, and that was only in a swell. The weather indeed was so clear, that a great number of the Germans on board slept on the deck. The cabin windows needed not the shutters. All these are circumstances which show the uncommon goodness of the weather.

Captain Lawson’s civility increased the pleasure of the voyage. For he shewed me all the friendship, that he could have shewn to any of his relations.

As soon as we were come to the town, and had cast anchor, many of the inhabitants came on board, to enquire for Letters. They took all those which they could carry, either for themselves or for their friends. Those, which remained, the captain ordered to be carried on shore, and to be brought into a coffee-house, where every body could make enquiry for them, and by this means he was rid of the trouble of delivering them himself. I afterwards went on shore with him. But before he went, he strictly charged the second mate, to let no one of the German refugees out of the ship, unless he paid for his passage, or some body else paid for him, or bought him.

On my leaving London I received letters [[30]]of recommendation from Mr. Abraham Spalding, Mr. Peter Collinson, Dr. Mitchel, and others to their friends here. It was easy for me therefore to get acquaintance. Mr. Benjamin Franklin, to whom Pensylvania is indebted for its welfare, and the learned world for many new discoveries in Electricity, was the first, who took notice of me, and introduced me to many of his friends. He gave me all necessary instructions, and shewed me his kindness on many occasions.

I went to day accompanied by Mr. Jacob Bengtson, a member of the Swedish consistory and the sculptor Gustavus Hesselius, to see the town and the fields which lay before it. (The former is brother of the rev. Messrs. Andrew and Samuel Hesselius, both ministers at Christiana in new Sweden, and of the late Dr. John Hesselius in the provinces of Nerik and Wermeland). My new friend had followed his brother Andrew in 1711 to this country, and had since lived in it. I found that I was now come into a new world. Whenever I looked to the ground, I every where found such plants as I had never seen before. When I saw a tree, I was forced to stop, and ask those who accompanied me, how it was called. The first plant which struck my [[31]]eyes was an Andropogon, or a kind of grass, and grass is a part of Botany I always delighted in. I was seized with terror at the thought of ranging so many new and unknown parts of natural history. At first I only considered the plants, without venturing a more accurate examination.

At night I took up my lodging with a grocer who was a quaker, and I met with very good honest people in this house, such as most people of this profession appeared to me, I and my Yungstrœm, the companion of my voyage, had a room, candles, beds, attendance, and three meals a day, if we chose to have so many, for twenty shillings per week in Pensylvania currency. But wood, washing and wine, if required, were to be paid for besides.

September the 16th. Before I proceed I must give a short description of Philadelphia, which I shall frequently mention in the sequel of my travels. I here put down several particulars which I marked during my stay at that place, as a help to memory.

Philadelphia, the capital of Pensylvania, a province which makes part of what formerly was called New Sweden is one of the principal towns in North-America; and next to Boston the greatest. It is situated [[32]]almost in the center of the English colonies, and its lat. is thirty nine deg. and fifty min. but its west long. from London near seventy five deg.

This town was built in the year 1683, or as others say in 1682, by the well known quaker William Pen, who got this whole province by a grant from Charles the second, king of England; after Sweden had given up its claims to it. According to Pen’s plan the town was to have been built upon a piece of land which is formed by the union of the rivers Delaware and Skulkill, in a quadrangular form, two English miles long and one broad. The eastern side would therefore have been bounded by the Delaware, and the western by the Skulkill. They had actually begun to build houses on both these rivers; for eight capital streets, each two English miles long, and sixteen lesser streets (or lanes) across them, each one mile in length, were marked out, with a considerable breadth, and in strait lines. The place was at that time almost an entire wilderness covered with thick forests, and belonged to three Swedish brothers called Sven’s-Sœner (Sons of Sven) who had settled in it. They with difficulty left the place, the situation of which was very advantageous, But at last they were [[33]]persuaded to it by Pen, who gave them a few English miles from that place twice the space of country they inhabited. However Pen himself and his descendants after him, have considerably lessened the ground belonging to them, by repeated mensurations, under pretence that they had taken more than they ought.

But the inhabitants could not be got in sufficient number to fill a place of such extent. The plan therefore about the river Skulkill was laid aside till more favourable circumstances should occur, and the houses were only built along the Delaware. This river flows along the eastern side of the town, is of great advantage to its trade, and gives a fine prospect. The houses which had already been built upon the Skulkill were transplanted hitherto by degrees. This town accordingly lies in a very pleasant country, from north to south along the river. It measures somewhat more than an English mile in length; and its breadth in some places is half a mile or more. The ground is flat and consists of sand mixed with a little clay. Experience has shewn that the air of this place is very healthy.

The streets are regular, fine, and most of them are fifty foot, English measure, broad; [[34]]Arch-street measures sixty six feet in breadth, and Market-street or the principal street, where the market is kept, near a hundred. Those which run longitudinally, or from north to south are seven, exclusive of a little one, which runs along the river, to the south of the market, and is called Water-street. The lanes which go across, and were intended to reach from the Delaware to the Skulkill, are eight in number. They do not go quite from east to west, but deviate a little from that direction. All the streets except two which are nearest to the river, run in a straight line, and make right angles at the intersections. Some are paved, others are not; and it seems less necessary since the ground is sandy, and therefore soon absorbs the wet. But in most of the streets is a pavement of flags, a fathom or more broad, laid before the houses, and posts put on the outside three or four fathom asunder. Under the roofs are gutters which are carefully connected with pipes, and by this means, those who walk under them, when it rains, or when the snow melts, need not fear being wetted by the dropping from the roofs.

The houses make a good appearance, are frequency several stories high, and built either of bricks or of stone; but the [[35]]former are more commonly used, since bricks are made before the town, and are well burnt. The stone which has been employed in the building of other houses, is a mixture of black or grey glimmer, running in undulated veins, and of a loose, and quite small grained limestone, which run scattered between the bendings of the other veins, and are of a grey colour, excepting here and there some single grains of sand, of a paler hue. The glimmer makes the greatest part of the stone; but the mixture is sometimes of another kind, as I shall relate hereafter under the article, eleventh of October. This stone is now got in great quantities in the country, is easily cut, and has the good quality of not attracting the moisture in a wet season. Very good lime is burnt every where hereabouts, for masonry.

The houses are covered with shingles. The wood for this purpose is taken from the Cupressus thyoides, Linn. or a tree which Swedes here call the white juniper-tree, and the English, the white cedar. Swamps and Morasses formerly were full of them, but at present these trees are for the greatest part cut down, and no attempt has as yet been made to plant new ones. The wood is very light, rots less than any other in [[36]]this country, and for that reason is exceeding good for roofs. For it is not too heavy for the walls, and will serve for forty or fifty years together. But many people already begin to fear, that these roofs will in time be looked upon as having been very detrimental to the city. For being so very light, most people who have built their houses of stone, or bricks, have been led to make their walls extremely thin. But at present this kind of wood is almost entirely destroyed. Whenever therefore in process of time these roofs decay, the people will be obliged to have recourse to the heavier materials of tiles, or the like, which the walls will not be strong enough to bear. The roof will therefore require supports, or the people be obliged to pull down the walls and to build new ones, or to take other steps for securing them. Several people have already in late years begun to make roofs of tiles.

Among the publick buildings I will first mention churches, of which there are several, for God is served in various ways in this country.

1. The English established church stands in the northern part of the town, at some distance from the market, and is the finest of all. It has a little, inconsiderable [[37]]steeple, in which is a bell to be rung when it is time to go to church, and on burials. It has likewise a clock which strikes the hours. This building which is called Christ church, was founded towards the end of the last century, but has lately been rebuilt and more adorned. It has two ministers who get the greatest part of their salary from England. In the beginning of this century, the Swedish minister the Rev. Mr. Rudmann, performed the functions of a clergyman to the English congregation for near two years, during the absence of their own clergyman.

2. The Swedish church, which is otherwise called the church of Weekacko, is on the southern part of the town, and almost without it, on the river’s side, and its situation is therefore more agreeable than that of any other. I shall have an opportunity of describing it more exactly, when I shall speak of the Swedes in particular, who live in this place.

3. The German Lutheran church, is on the north-west side of the town. On my arrival in America it had a little steeple, but that being but up by an ignorant architect, before the walls of the church were quite dry, they leaned forwards by its weight, and therefore they were forced [[38]]to pull it down again in the autumn of the year 1750. About that time the congregation received a fine organ from Germany. They have only one minister, who likewise preaches at another Lutheran church in Germantown. He preaches alternately one sunday in that church, and another in this. The first clergyman which the Lutherans had in this town, was the Rev. Mr. Muhlenberg, who laid the foundations of this church in 1743, and being called to another place afterwards, the rev. Mr. Brunholz from Sleswick was his successor, and is yet here. Both these gentlemen were sent to this place from Hall in Saxony, and have been a great advantage to it by their peculiar talent of preaching in an edifying manner. A little while before this church was built, the Lutheran Germans had no clergyman for themselves, so that the every-where beloved Swedish minister at Weekacko, Mr. Dylander, preached likewise to them. He therefore preached three sermons every sunday; the first early in the morning to the Germans; the second to the Swedes, and the third in the afternoon to the English, and besides this he went all the week into the country and instructed the Germans who lived separately there. He therefore frequently preached sixteen [[39]]sermons a week. And after his death, which happened in November 1741, the Germans first wrote to Germany for a clergyman for themselves. This congregation is at present very numerous, so that every sunday the church is very much crowded. It has two galleries, but no vestry. They do not sing the collects, but read them before the altar.

4. The old Presbyterian church, is not far from the market, and on the south-side of market-street. It is of a middling size, and built in the year 1704, as the inscription on the northern pediment shews. The roof is built almost hemispherical, or at least forms a hexagon. The whole building stands from north to south, for the presbyterians do not regard, as other people do, whether their churches look towards a certain point of the heavens or not.

5. The new Presbyterian church was built in the year 1750, by the New-lights in the north-western part of the town. By the name of New-lights, are understood the people who have, from different religions, become proselytes to the well known Whitefield, who in the years 1739, 1740, and likewise in 1744 and 1745 travelled through almost all the English colonies. His delivery, his extraordinary zeal, and [[40]]other talents so well adapted to the intelects of his hearers, made him so popular that he frequently, especially in the two first years, got from eight thousand to twenty thousand hearers in the fields. His intention in these travels, was to collect money for an orphans hospital which had been erected in Georgia. He here frequently collected seventy pounds sterling at one sermon; nay, at two sermons which he preached in the year 1740, both an one sunday, at Philadelphia, he got an hundred and fifty pounds. The proselytes of this man, or the above-mentioned new-lights, are at present merely a sect of presbyterians. For though Whitefield was originally a clergyman of the English church, yet he deviated by little and little from her doctrines; and on arriving in the year 1744 at Boston in New England, he disputed with the Presbyterians about their doctrines, so much that he almost entirely embraced them. For Whitefield was no great disputant, and could therefore easily be led by these cunning people, whithersoever they would have him. This likewise during his latter stay in America caused his audience to be less numerous than during the first. The new-lights built first in the year 1741, a great house in the western part of the [[41]]town, to hold divine service in. But a division arising amongst them after the departure of Whitefield, and besides on other accounts, the building was sold to the town in the beginning of the year 1750, and destined for a school. The new-lights then built a church which I call the new Presbyterian one. On its eastern pediment is the following inscription, in golden letters: Templum Presbyterianum, annuente numine, erectum, Anno Dom. MDCCL.

6. The old German reformed church is built in the west north-west part of the town, and looks like the church in the Ladugoordfield near Stockholm. It is not yet finished, though for several years together, the congregation has kept up divine service in it. These Germans attended the German service at the Swedish church, whilst the Swedish minister Mr. Dylander lived.—But as the Lutherans got a clergyman for themselves on the death of the last, those of the reformed church made likewise preparations to get one from Dordrecht; and the first who was sent to them, was the Rev. Mr. Slaughter, whom I found on my arrival. But in the year 1750, another clergyman of the reformed church arrived from Holland, and by his artful behaviour, so insinuated himself into the favour of the Rev. Mr. [[42]]Slaughter’s congregation, that the latter lost almost half his audience. The two clergymen then disputed for several sundays together, about the pulpit, nay, people relate that the new comer mounted the pulpit on a saturday, and stayed in it all night. The other being thus excluded, the two parties in the audience, made themselves the subject both of the laughter and of the scorn of the whole town, by beating and bruising each other, and committing other excesses. The affair was inquired into by the magistrates, and decided in favour of the rev. Mr. Slaughter, the person who had been abused.

7. The new reformed church, was built at a little distance from the old one by the party of the clergyman, who had lost his cause. This man however had influence enough to bring over to his party almost the whole audience of his antagonist, at the end of the year 1750, and therefore this new church will soon be useless.

8. 9. The Quakers have two meetings, one in the market, and the other in the northern part of the town. In them are according to the custom of this people, neither altars, nor pulpits, nor any other ornaments usual in churches; but only seats and some sconces. They meet thrice every [[43]]sunday in them, and besides that at certain times every week or every month. I shall mention more about them hereafter.

10. The Baptists, have their service, in the northern part of the town.

11. The Roman Catholicks, have in the south-west part of the town a great house, which is well adorned within, and has an organ.

12. The Moravian Brethren, have hired a great house, in the northern part of the town, in which they performed the service both in German and in English; not only twice or three times every sunday, but likewise every night after it was grown dark. But in the winter of the year 1750, they were obliged to drop their evening meetings; some wanton young fellows having several times disturbed the congregation, by an instrument sounding like the note of a cuckoo, for this noise they made in a dark corner, not only at the end of every stanza, but likewise at that of every line, whilst they were singing a hymn.

Those of the English church, the New-lights, the Quakers, and the Germans of the reformed religion, have each of them their burying places on one side out of town, and not near their churches, though the first of these sometimes make an exception. All the others bury their dead in [[44]]their church-yards, and Moravian brethren bury where they can. The Negroes are buried in a particular place out of town.

I now proceed to mention the other publick buildings in Philadelphia.

The Town-hall, or the place where the assemblies are held, is situated in the western part of the town, it is a fine large building, having a tower with a bell in the middle, and is the greatest ornament to the town. The deputies of each province meet in it commonly every October, or even more frequently if circumstances require it, in order to consider of the welfare of the country, and to hold their parliaments or diets in miniature. There they revise the old laws, and make new ones.

On one side of this building stands the Library, which was first begun in the year 1742, on a publick spirited plan, formed and put in execution by the learned Mr. Franklin. For he persuaded first the most substantial people in town to pay forty shillings at the outset, and afterwards annually ten shillings, all in Pensylvania currency, towards purchasing all kinds of useful books. The subscribers are entitled to make use of the books. Other people are likewise at liberty to borrow them for a certain time, but must leave a pledge and [[45]]pay eight-pence a week for a folio volume, six-pence for a quarto, and four-pence for all others of a smaller size. As soon as the time, allowed a person for the perusal of the volume, is elapsed, it must be returned, or he is fined. The money arising in this manner is employed for the salary of the librarian, and for purchasing new books. There was already a fine collection of excellent works, most of them English; many French and Latin, but few in any other language. The subscribers were so kind to me, as to order the librarian, during my stay here, to lend me every book, which I should want, without requiring any payment of me. The library was open every saturday from four to eight o’clock in the afternoon. Besides the books, several mathematical and physical instruments, and a large collection of natural curiosities were to be seen in it. Several little libraries were founded in the town on the same footing or nearly with this.

The Court House stands in the middle of Market street, to the west of the market, it is fine building, with a little tower in which there is a bell. Below and round about this building the market is properly kept every week.

The building of the Academy, is in the [[46]]western part of the town. It was formerly as I have before mentioned, a meeting-house of the followers of Whitefield, but they sold it in the year 1750, and it was destined to be the seat of an university, or to express myself in more exact terms, to be a college, it was therefore fitted up to this purpose. The youths are here only taught those things which they learn in our common schools; but in time, such lectures are intended to be read here, as are usual in real universities.

At the close of the last war, a redoubt was erected here, on the south side of the town, near the river, to prevent the French and Spanish privateers from landing. But this was done after a very strong debate. For the quakers opposed all fortifications, as contrary to the tenets of their religion, which allow not christians to make war either offensive or defensive, but direct them to place their trust in the Almighty alone. Several papers were then handed about for and against the opinion. But the enemy’s privateers having taken several vessels belonging to the town, in the river, many of the quakers, if not all of them, found it reasonable to forward the building of the fortification as much as possible, at least by a supply of money.

Of all the natural advantages of the [[47]]town, its temperate climate is the most considerable, the winter not being over severe, and its duration but short, and the summer not too hot; the country round about bringing forth those fruits in the greatest plenty, which are raised by husbandry. Their September and October are like the beginning of the Swedish August. And the first days in their February are frequently as pleasant, as the end of April and the beginning of May in Sweden. Even their coldest days in some winters have been no severer, than the days at the end of autumn are in the middlemost parts of Sweden, and the southern ones of Finland.

The good and clear water in Philadelphia, is likewise one of its advantages. For though there are no fountains in the town, yet there is a well in every house, and several in the streets, all which afford excellent water for boiling, drinking, washing, and other uses. The water is commonly met with at the depth of forty feet. The water of the river Delaware is likewise good. But in making the wells, a fault is frequently committed, which in several places of the town, spoils the water which is naturally good; I shall in the sequel take an opportunity of speaking further about it.

The Delaware is exceeding convenient [[48]]for trade. It is one of the greatest rivers in the world: is three English miles broad at its mouth, two miles at the town of Wilmington, and three quarters of a mile at Philadelphia. This city lies within ninety or an hundred English miles from the sea, or from the place where the river Delaware discharges itself into the bay of that name. Yet its depth is hardly ever less than five or six fathom. The greatest ships therefore can sail quite up to the town and anchor in good ground in five fathoms of water, on the side of the bridge. The water here has no longer a saltish taste, and therefore all destructive worms, which have fastened themselves to the ships in the sea, and have pierced holes into them, either die, or drop off, after the ship has been here for a while.

The only disadvantage which trade labours under here, is the freezing of the river almost every winter for a month or more. For during that time the navigation is entirely stopped. But this does not happen at Boston, New York, and other towns which are nearer the sea.

The tide comes up to Philadelphia, and even goes thirty miles higher, to Trenton. The difference between high and low water is eight feet at Philadelphia.

The cataracts of the Delaware near [[49]]Trenton, and of the Skulkill at some distance from Philadelphia, make these rivers useless further up the country, in regard to the conveyance of goods either from or to Philadelphia. Both must therefore be carried on waggons or carts. It has therefore already been thought of to make these two rivers navigable in time, at least for large boats and small vessels.

Several ships are annually built of American oak, in the docks which are made in several parts of the town and about it, yet they can by no means be put in comparison with those built of European oak, in point of goodness and duration.

The town carries on a great trade, both with the inhabitants of the country, and to other parts of the world, especially to the West Indies, South America, and the Antilles; to England, Ireland, Portugal, and to several English colonies in North America. Yet none but English ships are allowed to come into this port.

Philadelphia reaps the greatest profits from its trade to the West Indies. For thither the inhabitants ship almost every day a quantity of flour, butter, flesh and other victuals; timber, plank and the like. In return they receive either sugar, molasses, rum, indigo, mahogany, and other goods, [[50]]or ready money. The true mahogany which grows in Jamaica, is at present almost all cut down.

They send both West India goods, and their own productions to England; the latter are all sorts of woods, especially black walnut, and oak planks for ships; ships ready built, iron, hides and tar. Yet this latter is properly bought in New Jersey, the forests of which province are consequently more ruined than any others. Ready money is likewise sent over to England, from whence in return they get all sorts of goods there manufactured, viz. fine and coarse cloth, linen, iron ware, and other wrought metals, and East India goods. For it is to be observed that England supplies Philadelphia with almost all stuffs and manufactured goods which are wanted here.

A great quantity of linseed goes annually to Ireland, together with many of the ships which are built here. Portugal gets wheat, corn, flour and maize which is not ground. Spain sometimes takes some corn. But all the money, which is got in these several countries, must immediately be sent to England, in payment for the goods which are got from thence, and yet those sums are not sufficient to pay all the debts.

But to shew more exactly, what the town and province have imported from [[51]]England, in different years, I shall here insert an extract from the English custom-house books, which I got from the engineer, Lewis Evans, at Philadelphia, and which will sufficiently answer the purpose. This gentleman had desired one of his friends in London to send him a compleat account of all the goods shipped from England to Pensylvania in several years. He got this account, and though the goods are not enumerated in it, yet their value in money is calculated. Such extracts from the custom-house books have been made for every North-American province, in order to convince the English parliament, that those provinces have taken greater quantities of the goods in that kingdom, ever since they have turned their money into bills.

I have taken the copy from the original itself, and it is to be observed that it begins with the christmas of the year 1722, and ends about the same time of the year 1747. In the first column is the value of the foreign goods, the duty for which has already been paid in England. The second column shews the value of the goods manufactured in England and exported to Pensylvania. And in the last column these two sums are added together, but at the bottom each of the columns is cast up. [[52]]

But this table does not include the goods which are annually shipped in great quantities to Pensylvania from Scotland and Ireland, among which is a great quantity of linen.

The Value of the Goods annually shipped from England to Pensylvania.

[[53]]

The whole extent of the Philadelphia trade may be comprehended from the number of ships, which annually arrive at and sail from this town. I intend to insert here a table of a few years which I have taken from the gazettes of the town. The ships coming and going in one year, are to be reckoned from the twenty fifth of March of that year, to the twenty fifth of March of the next.

But it is much to be feared that the trade of Philadelphia, and of all the English colonies, will rather decrease than encrease, in case no provision is made to prevent it. I shall hereafter plainly shew upon what foundation this decrease of trade is likely to take place.

The town not only furnishes most of the inhabitants of Pensylvania with the goods which they want, but numbers of [[54]]the inhabitants of New Jersey come every day and carry on a great trade.

The town has two great fairs every year; one in May, and the other in November, both on the sixteenth days of those two months. But besides these fairs, there are every week two market days, viz. Wednesday and Saturday. On those days the country people in Pensylvania and New Jersey, bring to town a quantity of victuals, and other productions of the country, and this is a great advantage to the town. It is therefore to be wished that the like regulation might be made in our Swedish towns. You are sure to meet with every produce of the season, which the country affords, on the market-days. But on other days, they are in vain sought for.

Provisions are always to be got fresh here, and for that reason most of the inhabitants never buy more at a time, than what will be sufficient till the next market-day. In summer there is a market almost every day; for the victuals do not keep well in the great heat. There are two places in the town where these markets are kept; but that near the court-house is the principal. It begins about four or five o’clock in the morning, and ends about nine o’clock in the forenoon. [[55]]

The town is not enclosed, and has no other custom-house than the great one for the ships.

The governor of the whole province lives here; and though he is nominated by the heirs of Pen, yet he cannot take that office without being confirmed by the king of England.

The quakers of almost all parts of North-America, have their great assembly here once a year.

In the year 1743, a society for the advancement of the sciences was erected here. Its objects would have been the curiosities of the three kingdoms of nature, mathematicks, physick, chemistry, œconomy, and manufactures. But the war, which ensued immediately, stopped all designs of this nature, and since that time, nothing has been done towards establishing any thing of this kind.

The declination of the needle was here observed on the thirtieth of October 1750, old style, to be five deg. and forty-five min. west. It was examined by the new meridian, which was drawn at Philadelphia in the autumn of the same year, and extended a mile in length. By experience it appears, that this declination lessens about a degree in twenty years time. [[56]]

The greatest difference in the rising and falling of the barometer, is according to the observations made for several years together by Mr. James Logan, found at 28´´ 59 and 30´´ 78.

Here are three printers, and every week two English, and one German news-paper is printed.

In the year 1732, on the fifth of September, old style, a little earthquake was felt here about noon, and at the same time at Boston in New England, and at Montreal in Canada, which places are above sixty Swedish miles asunder.

In the month of November of the year 1737, the well known prince from mount Lebanon, Sheich Sidi came to Philadelphia, on his travels through most of the English American colonies. And in the same year a second earthquake was felt about eleven o’clock at night, on the seventh of December. But it did not continue above half a minute, and yet, it was felt according to the accounts of the gazettes at the same hour in Newcastle, New York, New London, Boston, and other towns of New England. It had therefore likewise reached several miles.

The count Sinzendorf[5] arrived here in [[57]]the December of the year 1741, and continued till the next spring. His uncommon behaviour persuaded many Englishmen of rank, that he was disordered in his head.

I have not been able to find the exact number of the inhabitants of Philadelphia. In the year 1746, they were reckoned above ten thousand, and since that time their number is incredibly encreased. Neither can it be made out from the Bills of mortality, since they are not kept regularly in all the churches. I shall, however, mention some of those which appeared either in the gazettes, or in bills printed on purpose.

From these bills of mortality it also appears, that the diseases which are the most fatal, are consumptions, fevers, convulsions, pleuresies, hæmorrhagies, and dropsies.

The number of those that are born cannot be determined, since in many churches no order is observed with regard to this affair. The quakers, who are the most [[58]]numerous in this town, never baptize their children, though they take a pretty exact account of all who are born among them.

It is likewise impossible to guess at the number of inhabitants from the dead, because the town gets such great supplies annually from other countries. In the summer of the year 1749, near twelve thousand Germans came over to Philadelphia, many of whom staid in that town. In the same year the houses in Philadelphia were counted, and found to be two thousand and seventy six in number.

The town is now quite filled with inhabitants, which in regard to their country, religion and trade, are very different from each other. You meet with excellent masters in all trades, and many things are made here full as well as in England. Yet no manufactures, especially for making fine cloth are established. Perhaps the reason is, that it can be got with so little difficulty from England, and that the breed of sheep which is brought over, degenerates in process of time, and affords but a coarse wool.

Here is great plenty of provisions, and their prices are very moderate. There are no examples of an extraordinary dearth.

Every one who acknowledges God to be the Creator, preserver and ruler of all [[59]]things, and teaches or undertakes nothing against the state, or against the common peace, is at liberty to settle, stay, and carry on his trade here, be his religious principles ever so strange. No one is here molested on account of the erroneous principles of the doctrine which he follows, if he does not exceed the above-mentioned bounds. And he is so well secured by the laws in his person and property, and enjoys such liberties; that a citizen of Philadelphia may in a manner be said to live in his house like a king.

On a careful consideration of what I have already said, it will be easy to conceive how this city should rise so suddenly from nothing, into such grandeur and perfection, without supposing any powerful monarch’s contributing to it, either by punishing the wicked, or by giving great supplies in money. And yet its fine appearance, good regulations, agreeable situation, natural advantages, trade, riches and power, are by no means inferior to those of any, even of the most ancient towns in Europe. It has not been necessary to force people to come and settle here; on the contrary foreigners of different languages, have left their country, houses, property and relations, and ventured over wide and stormy seas, in order [[60]]to come hither. Other countries, which have been peopled for a long space of time, complain of the small number of their inhabitants. But Pensylvania, which was no better than a desart in the year 1681, and hardly contained five hundred people, now vies with several kingdoms in Europe, in number of inhabitants. It has received numbers of people which other countries, to their infinite loss, have either neglected or expelled.

A wretched old wooden building, on a hill near the river somewhat north of the Wickako church, belonging to one of the Sons of Sven, of whom, as before-mentioned, the ground was bought for building Philadelphia upon, is preserved on purpose, as a memorial of the poor state of that place, before the town was built on it. Its antiquity gives it a kind of superiority over all the other buildings in town, though in itself the worst of all. This hut was inhabited, whilst as yet stags, deers, elks, and beavers, at broad day light lived in the future streets, church-yards, and market-places of Philadelphia. The noise of a spinning wheel was heard in this house, before the manufactures now established were thought of, or Philadelphia built. But with all these advantages, this house is ready to [[61]]fall down, and in a few years to come, it will be as difficult to find the place where it stood, as it was unlikely at the time of its erection, that one of the greatest towns in America, should in a short time stand close up to it.

September the 7th. Mr. Peter Cock, a merchant of this town, assured me that he had last week himself been a spectator of a snake’s swallowing a little bird. This bird, which from its cry has the name of Cat bird, (Muscicapa Carolinensis, Linn.) flew from one branch of a tree to another, and was making a doleful tune. At the bottom of the tree, but at a fathom’s distance from the stem, lay one of the great black snakes, with its head continually upright, pointing towards the bird, which was always fluttering about, and now and then settling on the branches. At first it only kept in the topmost branches, but by degrees it came lower down, and even flew upon the ground, and hopped to the place where the snake lay, which immediately opened its mouth, caught the bird and swallowed it; but it had scarce finished its repast before Mr. Cock came up and killed it. I was afterwards told that this kind of snakes was frequently observed to pursue little birds in this manner. It is already [[62]]well known that the rattle snake does the same.

I walked out to day into the fields in order to get more acquainted with the plants hereabouts, I found several European and even Swedish plants among them. But those which are peculiar to America, are much more numerous.

The Virginian maple grows in plenty on the shores of the Delaware. The English in this country call it either Buttonwood, or Waterbeech, which latter name is most usual. The Swedes call it Wattenbok, or Wasbok. It is Linnæus’s Platanus occidentalis. See Catesby’s Nat. Hist. of Carolina, vol. 1. p. 56. t. 56. It grows for the greatest part in low places, but especially on the edge of rivers and brooks. But these trees are easily transplanted to more dry places, if they be only filled with good soil; and as their leaves are large and their foliage thick, they are planted about the houses and in gardens, to afford a pleasant shade in the hot season, to the enjoyment of which some seats were placed under them. Some of the Swedes had boxes, pails, and the like, made of the bark of this tree by the native Americans. They say that those people whilst they were yet settled here, made little dishes of this bark for gathering [[63]]whortleberries. The bark was a line in thickness. This tree likewise grows in marshes, or in swampy fields, where ash and red maple commonly grow. They are frequently as tall and thick, as the best of our fir trees. The seed stays on them till spring, but in the middle of April the pods open and shed the seeds. Query, Whether they are not ripe before that time, and consequently sooner fit for sowing? This American maple is remarkable for its quick growth, in which it exceeds all other trees. There are such numbers of them on the low meadows between Philadelphia and the ferry at Gloucester, on both sides of the road, that in summer time you go as it were through a shady walk. In that part of Philadelphia which is near the Swedish church, some great trees of this kind stand on the shore of the river. In the year 1750, on the 15th. of May I saw the buds still on them, and in the year 1749 they began to flower on the eighth of that month. Several trees of this sort are planted at Chelsea near London, and they now in point of height vie with the tallest oak.

September the 18th. In the morning I went with the Swedish painter, Mr. Hesselius, to the country seat of Mr. Bartram, which is about four English miles to the [[64]]south of Philadelphia, at some distance from the high road to Maryland, Virginia, and Carolina. I had therefore the first opportunity here, of getting an exact knowledge of the state of the country, which was a plain covered with all kinds of trees with deciduous leaves. The ground was sandy, mixed with clay. But the sand seemed to be in greater quantity. In some parts the wood was cut down, and we saw the habitations of some country people, whose corn-fields and plantations were round their farm-houses. The wood was full of mulberry-trees, walnut-trees of several kinds, chesnut-trees, sassafras, and the like. Several sorts of wild vines clasped their tendrils round, and climbed up to the summits of the highest trees; and in other places they twined round the enclosures, so thick, that the latter almost sunk down under their weight. The Persimon, or Diospyros Virginiana, Linn. sp. pl. p. 1510, grew in the marshy fields, and about springs. Its little apples looked very well already, but are not fit for eating, before the frost has affected them, and then they have a very fine taste. Hesselius gathered some of them, and desired my servant to taste of the fruits of the land; but this poor credulous follow, had hardly bit into them, when he felt the [[65]]qualities they have before the frost has penetrated them. For they contracted his mouth so that he could hardly speak, and had a very disagreeable taste. This disgusted him so much that he was with difficulty persuaded to taste of it during the whole of our stay in America, notwithstanding it loses all its acidity and acquires an agreeable flavour in autumn and towards the beginning of winter. For the fellow always imagined, that though he should eat them ever so late in the year, they would still retain the same disagreeable taste.

To satisfy the curiosity of those, who are willing to know, how the woods look in this country, and whether or no the trees in them are the same with those found in our forests, I here insert a small catalogue of those which grow spontaneously in the woods which are nearest to Philadelphia. But I exclude such shrubs as do not attain any considerable height. I shall put that tree first in order, which is most plentiful, and so on with the rest, and therefore trees which I have found but single, though near the town, will be last.

• 1. Quercus alba, the white oak in good ground. [[66]]
• 2. Quercus rubra, or the black oak.
• 3. Quercus hispanica, the Spanish oak, a variety of the preceding.
• 4. Juglans alba, hiccory, a kind of walnut tree, of which three or four varieties are to be met with.
• 5. Rubus occidentalis, or American blackberry shrub.
• 6. Acer rubrum, the maple tree with red flowers, in swamps.
• 7. Rhus glabra, the smooth leaved Sumach, in the woods, on high glades, and old corn-fields.
• 8. Vitis labrusca and Vulpina, vines of several kinds.
• 9. Sambucus canadensis, American Elder tree, along the hedges and on glades.
• 10. Quercus phellos, the swamp oak, in morasses.
• 11. Azalea lutea, the American upright honey-suckle, in the woods in dry places.
• 12. Cratægus Crus galli, the Virginian Azarole, in woods.
• 13. Vaccinium ——, a species of whortleberry shrub.
• 14. Quercus prinus, the chesnut oak in good ground.
• 15. Cornus florida, the cornelian cherry, in all kinds of ground.
• 16. Liriodendron Tulipifera, the tulip tree, [[67]]in every kind of soil.
• 17. Prunus virginiana, the wild cherry tree.
• 18. Vaccinium ——, a frutex whortleberry, in good ground.
• 19. Prinos verticillatus, the winterberry tree in swamps.
• 20. Platanus occidentalis, the water-beech.
• 21. Nyssa aquatica, the tupelo tree; on fields and mountains.[6]
• 22. Liquidambar styraciflua, sweet gum tree, near springs.
• 23. Betula Alnus, alder, a variety of the Swedish; it was here but a shrub.
• 24. Fagus castanea, the chesnut tree, on corn-fields, pastures, and in little woods.
• 25. Juglans nigra, the black walnut tree, in the same place with the preceding tree.
• 26. Rhus radicans, the twining sumach, climbed along the trees.
• 27. Acer Negundo, the ash-leaved maple, in morasses and swampy places.
• 28. Primus domestica, the wild plumb tree.
• 29. Ulmus Americana, the white elm. [[68]]
• 30. Prunus spinosa, sloe shrub, in low places.
• 31. Laurus sassafras, the sassafras tree, in a loose soil mixed with sand.
• 32. Ribes nigrum, the currant tree, grew in low places and in marshes.
• 33. Fraxinus excelsior, the ash tree in low places.
• 34. Smilax laurifolia, the rough bind weed with the bay leaf, in woods and on pales or enclosures.
• 35. Kalmia latifolia, the American dwarf laurel, on the northern side of mountains.
• 36. Morus rubra, the mulberry tree on fields, hills and near the houses.
• 37. Rhus vernix, the poisonous Sumach, in wet places.
• 38. Quercus rubra, the red oak, but a peculiar variety.
• 39. Hamamelis virginica, the witch hazel.
• 40. Diospyros virginiana, the persimon.
• 41. Pyrus coronaria, the anchor tree.
• 42. Juniperus virginiana, the red juniper, in a dry poor soil.
• 43. Laurus æstivalis, spice-wood in a wet soil.
• 44. Carpinus ostrya, a species of horn beam in a good soil.
• 45. Carpinus betulus, a horn beam, in the same kind of soil with the former. [[69]]
• 46. Fagus sylvatica, the beech, likewise in good soil.
• 47. Juglans ——, a species of walnut tree on hills near rivers,[7] called by the Swedes Butternustræ.
• 48. Pinus Americana, Pensylvanian fir tree; on the north side of mountains, and in vallies.[8]
• 49. Betula lenta, a species of birch, on the banks of rivers.
• 50. Cephalantus occidentalis, button wood, in wet places.
• 51. Pinus tæda, the New Jersey fir tree, on dry sandy heaths.
• 52. Cercis canadensis, the sallad tree, in a good soil.
• 53. Robinia pseudacacia, the locust tree, on the corn-fields.
• 54. Magnolia glauca, the laurel-leaved tulip tree, in marshy soil.
• 55. Tilia Americana, the lime tree, in a good soil.
• 56. Gleditsia triacanthos, the honey locust tree, or three thorned acacia, in the same soil.
• 57. Celtis occidentalis, the nettle tree, in the fields.
• 58. Annona muricata, the custard apple in a fruitful soil.

[[70]]

We visited several Swedes, who were settled here, and were at present in very good circumstances. One of them was called Andrew Rambo; he had a fine house built of stone, two stories high, and a great orchard near it. We were every where well received, and stayed over night with the above-mentioned countryman. We saw no other marks of autumn, than that several fruits of this season were already ripe. For besides this all the trees were yet as green, and the ground still as much covered with flowers, as in our summer. Thousands of frogs croaked all the night long in the marshes and brooks. The locusts and grasshoppers made likewise such a great noise, that it was hardly possible for one person to understand another. The trees too, were full of all sorts of birds, which by the variety of their fine plumage, delighted the eye, while the infinite variety of their tunes were continually re-echoed.

The orchards, along which we passed to-day, were only enclosed by hurdles. But they contained all kinds of fine fruit. We wondered at first very much when our leader leaped over the hedge into the orchards, and gathered some agreeable fruit for us. But our astonishment was still greater, when we saw that the people in the garden were [[71]]so little concerned at it, as not even to look at us. But our companion told us, that the people here were not so exact in regard to a few fruits, as they are in other countries where the soil is not so fruitful in them. We afterwards found very frequently that the country people in Sweden and Finland guarded their turneps more carefully, than the people here do the most exquisite fruits.

September the 19th. As I walked this morning into the fields, I observed that a copious dew was fallen; for the grass was as wet as if it had rained. The leaves of the plants and trees, had contracted so much moisture, that the drops ran down. I found on this occasion that the dew was not only on the superior, but likewise on the inferior side of the leaves. I therefore carefully considered many leaves both of trees and of other plants; both of those which are more above, and of those which are nearer to the ground. But I found in all of them, that both sides of the leaves were equally bedewed, except those of the Verbascum Thapsus, or great Mullein, which though their superior side was pretty well covered with the dew, yet their inferior had but a little.

Every countryman, even a common peasant, has commonly an orchard near [[72]]his house, in which all sorts of fruit, such as peaches, apples, pears, cherries, and others, are in plenty. The peaches were now almost ripe. They are rare in Europe, particularly in Sweden, for in that country hardly any people besides the rich taste them. But here every countryman had an orchard full of peach trees, which were covered with such quantities of fruit, that we could scarcely walk in the orchard, without treading upon those peaches which were fallen off; many of which were always left on the ground, and only part of them was sold in town, and the rest was consumed by the family and strangers; for every one that passed by, was at liberty to go into the orchard, and to gather as many of them as he wanted. Nay, this fine fruit was frequently given to the swine.

This fruit is however sometimes kept for winter use, and for this purpose they are prepared in the following manner. The fruit is cut into four parts, the stone thrown away, and the fruit put upon a thread, on which they are exposed to the sunshine in the open air, till they are sufficiently dry. They are then put into a vessel for winter. But this manner of drying them is not very good, because the rain of this season very easily spoils and putrifies [[73]]them, whilst they hang in the open air. For this reason a different method is followed by others, which is by far the most eligible. The peaches are as before cut into four parts, are then either put upon a thread, or laid upon a board, and so hung up in the air when the sun shines. Being dried in some measure, or having lost their juice by this means, they are put into an oven, out of which the bread has but just been taken, and are left in it for a while. But they are soon taken out and brought into the fresh air; and after that they are again put into the oven, and this is repeated several times till they are as dry as they ought to be. For if they were dried up at once in the oven, they would shrivel up too much, and lose part of their flavour. They are then put up and kept for the winter. They are either baked into tarts and pyes, or boiled and prepared as dried apples and pears are in Sweden. Several people here dry and preserve their apples in the same manner as their peaches.

The peach trees, have, as I am told, been first planted here by the Europeans. But at present they succeed very well, and require even less care, than our apple and pear trees.

The orchards have seldom other fruit [[74]]than apples and peaches. Pear trees are scarce in this province, and those that had any of them, had planted them in their orchards. They likewise have cherry trees in the orchards, but commonly on the sides of them towards the house, or along the enclosures. Mulberry trees are planted on some hillocks near the house, and sometimes even in the court yards of the house. The black walnut trees, or Juglans nigra, grow partly on hills, and in fields near the farm-houses, and partly along the enclosures; but most commonly in the forests. No other trees of this kind, are made use of here. The chesnuts are left in the fields; here and there is one in a dry field or in a wood.

The Hibiscus esculentus, or Okra,[9] is a plant which grows wild in the West Indies, but is planted in the gardens here. The fruit, which is a long pod, is cut whilst it is green, and boiled in soups, which thereby become as thick as pulse. This dish is reckoned a dainty by some people, and especially by the negroes.

Capsicum annuum, or Guinea pepper is likewise planted in gardens. When the [[75]]fruit is ripe it is almost entirely red, it is put to a roasted or boiled piece of meat, a little of it being strewed upon it, or mixed with the broth. Besides this, cucumbers are pickled with it. Or the pods are pounded whilst they are yet tender, and being mixed with salt are preserved in a bottle; and this spice is strewed over roasted or boiled meat, or fried fish, and gives them a very fine taste. But the fruit by itself is as biting as common pepper.

This country contains many species of the plant, which Dr. Linnæus calls Rhus, and the most common is the Rhus foliis pinnatis serratis lanceolates retrinque nudis, or the Rhus glabra. The English call this plant Sumach. But the Swedes here, have no particular name for it, and therefore make use of the English name. Its berries or fruits are red. They are made use of for dying, and afford a colour like their own. This tree is like a weed in this country, for if a corn-field is left uncultivated for some few years together, it grows on it in plenty, since the berries are spread every where by the birds. And when the ground is to be ploughed the roots stop the plough very much. The fruit stays on the shrub during the whole winter. But the leaves drop very early in autumn, after they are [[76]]turned reddish, like those of our Swedish mountain ash. The branches boiled with the berries afford a black ink like tincture. The boys eat the berries, there being no danger of falling sick after the repast; but they are very sour. They seldom grow above three yards high. On cutting the stem, it appears that it contains nothing but pith. I have cut several in this manner, and found that some were ten years old; but that most of them were above one year old. When the cut is made, a yellow juice comes out between the bark and the wood. One or two of the most outward circles are white, but the innermost are of a yellowish green. It is easy to distinguish them one from another. They contain a very plentiful pith, the diameter of which is frequently half an inch, and sometimes more. It is brown, and so loose that it is easily pushed out by a little stick, in the same manner as the pith of the elder tree, raspberry and blackberry bushes. This sumach grows near the enclosures, round the corn-fields, but especially on fallow ground. The wood seemed to burn well, and made no great crackling in the fire.

September the 20th. In the morning we walked in the fields and woods near the [[77]]town, partly for gathering seeds, and partly for gathering plants for my herbal, which was our principal occupation; and in the autumn of this year, we sent part of our collection to England and Sweden.

A species of Rhus, which was frequent in the marshes here was called the poison tree by both English and Swedes. Some of the former gave it the name of swamp-sumach, and my country-men gave it the same name. Dr. Linnæus in his botanical works calls it Rhus Vernix. Sp. pl. 1. 380. Flora Virgin. 45. An incision being made into the tree, a whitish yellow juice, which has a nauseous smell, comes out between the bark and the wood. This tree is not known for its good qualities, but greatly so for the effect of its poison, which though it is noxious to some people, yet does not in the least affect others. And therefore one person can handle the tree as he pleases, cut it, peel off its bark, rub it, or the wood upon his hands, smell at it, spread the juice upon his skin, and make more experiments, with no inconvenience to himself; another person on the contrary dares not meddle with the tree, while its wood is fresh, nor can he venture to touch a hand which has handled it, nor even to expose himself to the smoak of a fire which is made with this wood, without soon [[78]]feeling its bad effects; for the face, the hands, and frequently the whole body swells excessively, and is affected with a very accute pain. Sometimes bladders or blisters arise in great plenty, and make the sick person look as if he was infected by a leprosy. In some people the external thin skin, or cuticle, peels of in a few days, as is the case when a person has scalded or burnt any part of his body. Nay, the nature of some persons will not even allow them to approach the place where the tree grows, or to expose themselves to the wind, when it carries the effluvia or exhalations of this tree with it, without letting them feel the inconvenience of the swelling, which I have just now described. Their eyes are sometimes shut up for one, or two and more days together by the swelling. I know two brothers, one of whom could without danger handle this tree in what manner he pleased, whereas the other could not come near it without swelling. A person sometimes does not know that he has touched this poisonous plant, or that he has been near it, before his face and hands shews it by their swelling. I have known old people who were more afraid of this tree than of a viper; and I was acquainted with a person who merely by the noxious exhalations of it [[79]]was swelled to such a degree, that he was as stiff as a log of wood, and could only be turned about in sheets.

On relating in the winter of the year 1750, the poisonous qualities of the swamp sumach to my Yungstrœm, who attended me on my travels, he only laughed, and looked upon the whole as a fable, in which opinion he was confirmed by his having often handled the tree the autumn before, cut many branches of it, which he had carried for a good while in his hand in order to preserve its seeds, and put many into the herbals, and all this, without feeling the least inconvenience. He would therefore, being a kind of philosopher in his own way, take nothing for granted of which he had no sufficient proofs, especially as he had his own experience in the summer of the year 1749, to support the contrary opinion. But in the next summer his system of philosophy was overturned. For his hands swelled and he felt a violent pain, and itching in his eyes as soon as he touched the tree, and this inconvenience not only attended him when he meddled with this kind of sumach, but even when he had any thing to do with the Rhus radicans, or that species of sumach which climbs along the trees, and is not by far so [[80]]poisonous as the former. By this adventure he was so convinced of the power of the poison tree, that I could not easily persuade him to gather more seeds of it for me. But he not only felt the noxious effects of it in summer when he was very hot, but even in winter when both he and the wood were cold. Hence it appears that though a person be secured against the power of this poison for some time, yet that in length of time he may be affected with it as well, as people of a weaker constitution.

I have likewise tried experiments of every kind with the poison tree on myself. I have spread its juice upon my hands, cut and broke its branches, peeled off its bark, and rubbed my hands with it, smelt at it, carried pieces of it in my bare hands, and repeated all this frequently, without feeling the baneful effects so commonly annexed to it; but I however once experienced that the poison of the sumach was not entirely without effect upon me. On a hot day in summer, as I was in some degree of perspiration, I cut a branch of the tree, and carried it in my hand for about half an hour together, and smelt at it now and then. I felt no effects from it, till in the evening. But next morning I awoke with a violent itching of my eye-lids, and the [[81]]parts thereabouts, and this was so painful, that I could hardly keep my hands from it. It ceased after I had washed my eyes for a while, with very cold water. But my eye-lids were very stiff all that day. At night the itching returned, and in the morning as I awoke, I felt it as ill as the morning before, and I used the same remedy against it. However it continued almost for a whole week together, and my eyes were very red, and my eye-lids were with difficulty moved, during all that time. My pain ceased entirely afterwards. About the same time, I had spread the juice of the tree very thick upon my hand. Three days after they occasioned blisters, which soon went off without affecting me much. I have not experienced any thing more of the effects of this plant, nor had I any desire so to do. However I found that it could not exert its power upon me, when I was not perspiring.

I have never heard that the poison of this Sumach has been mortal; but the pain ceases after a few days duration. The natives formerly made their flutes of this tree, because it has a great deal of pith. Some people assured me, that a person suffering from its noisome exhalations, would easily recover by spreading a mixture of the wood, [[82]]burnt to charcoal, and hog’s lard, upon the swelled parts. Some asserted that they had really tried this remedy. In some places this tree is rooted out on purpose, that its poison may not affect the workmen.

I received to day, several curiosities belonging to the mineral kingdom, which were collected in the country. The following were those which were most worth attention. The first was a white, and quite transparent crystal.[10] Many of this kind are found in Pensylvania, in several kinds of stone, especially in a pale-grey limestone. The pieces are of the thickness and length of the little finger, and commonly as transparent as possible. But I have likewise got crystals here, of the length of a foot, and of the thickness of a middle-sized man’s leg. They were not so transparent as the former.

The cubic Pyrites of Bishop Browallius,[11] was of a very regular texture. But its cubes were different in size, for in some of [[83]]the cubes, the planes of the sides only amounted to a quarter of an inch, but in the biggest cubes, they were full two inches. Some were exceedingly glittering, so that it was very easy to be perceived that they consisted of sulphureous pyrites. But in some one or two sides only, glittered so well, and the others were dark-brown. Yet most of these marcasites had this same colour on all the sides. On breaking them they shewed the pure pyrites. They are found near Lancaster in this province, and sometimes lie quite above the ground; but commonly they are found at the depth of eight feet or more from the surface of the ground, on digging wells and the like. Mr. Hesselius had several pieces of this kind of stone, which he made use of in his work. He first burnt them, then pounded or ground them to a powder, and at last rubbed them still finer in the usual way, and this afforded him a fine reddish-brown colour.

Few black pebbles are found in this province, which on the other hand yields many kinds of marble, especially a white one, with pale-grey bluish spots, which is found in a quarry at the distance of a few English miles from Philadelphia, and is very good [[84]]for working, though it is not one of the finest kind of marbles. They make many tombstones and tables, enchase chimneys and doors, floors of marble flags in the rooms, and the like of this kind of marble. A quantity of this commodity is shipped to different parts of America.

Muscovy glass,[12] is found in many places hereabouts, and some pieces of it are pretty large, and as fine as those which are brought from Russia. I have seen some of them, which were a foot and more in length. And I have several in my collection that are nearly nine inches square. The Swedes on their first arrival here made their windows of this native glass.

A pale grey fine limestone,[13] of a compact texture, lies in many places hereabouts, and affords a fine lime. Some pieces of it are so full of fine transparent crystals, that almost half of the stone consists of nothing else. But besides this limestone, they make [[85]]lime near the sea-shore, from oyster shells, and bring it to town in winter, which is said to be worse for masonry, but better for white-washing, than that which is got from the limestone.

Coals have not yet been found in Pensylvania; but people pretend to have seen them higher up in the country among the natives. Many people however agree that they are met with in great quantity more to the north, near Cape Breton.[14]

The ladies make wine from some of the fruits of the land. They principally take white and red currants for that purpose, since the shrubs of this kind are very plentiful in the gardens, and succeed very well. An old sailor who had frequently been in New-foundland, told me that red currants grew wild in that country in great quantity. They likewise make a wine of strawberries, which grow in great plenty in the woods, but are sourer than the Swedish ones. The American blackberries, or Rubus occidentalis, are likewise made use of for this purpose, for they grow every where about the fields, almost as abundantly as [[86]]thistles in Sweden, and have a very agreeable taste. In Maryland a wine is made of the wild grapes, which grow in the woods of that province. Raspberries and cherries which are planted on purpose, and taken great care of, likewise afford a very fine wine. It is unnecessary to give an account of the manner of making the currant wine, for in Sweden this art is in higher perfection than in North America.

September the 21st. The common Privet, or Ligustrum vulgare, Linn. grows among the bushes in thickets and woods. But I cannot determine whether it belongs to the indigenous plants, or to those which the English have introduced, the fruits of which the birds may have dispersed every where. The enclosures and pales are generally made here of wooden planks and posts. But a few, good œconomists, having already thought of sparing the woods for future times, have begun to plant quick hedges round their fields; and to this purpose they take the above-mentioned privet, which they plant in a little bank, which is thrown up for it. The soil every where hereabouts is a clay mixed with sand, and of course very loose. The privet hedges however, are only adapted to the tameness of the cattle and other animals here; for the hogs [[87]]all have a triangular yoke about their necks, and the other cattle are not very unruly. But in such places where the cattle break through the enclosures, hedges of this kind would make but a poor defence. The people who live in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, are obliged to keep their hogs enclosed.

In the afternoon I rode with Mr. Peter Cock, who was a merchant, born at Karlscron in Sweden, to his country seat, about nine miles from the town, to the north-west.

The country on both sides of the road was covered with a great forest. The trees were all with annual leaves, and I did not see a single fir or pine. Most of the trees were different sorts of oak. But we likewise saw chesnut trees, walnut trees, locust trees, apple trees, hiccory, blackberry bushes, and the like. The ground ceased to be so even as it was before, and began to look more like the English ground, diversified with hills and vallies. We found neither mountains nor great stones, and the wood was so much thinned, and the ground so uniformly even, that we could see a great way between the trees, under which we rode without any inconvenience; for there were no bushes to stop us. In some places [[88]]where the soil was thrown up, we saw some little stones of that kind of which the houses here are so generally built. I intend to describe them in the sequel.

As we went on in the wood, we continually saw at moderate distances little fields, which had been cleared of the wood. Each of these was a farm. These farms were commonly very pretty, and a walk of trees frequently led from them to the high-road. The houses were all built of brick, or of the stone which is here every where to be met with. Every countryman, even though he were the poorest peasant, had an orchard with apples, peaches, chesnuts, walnuts, cherries, quinces, and such fruits, and sometimes we saw the vines climbing along them. The vallies were frequently provided with little brooks which contained a crystal stream. The corn on the sides of the road, was almost all mown, and no other grain besides maize and buckwheat was standing. The former was to be met with near each farm, in greater or lesser quantities; it grew very well and to a great length, the stalks being from six to ten foot high and covered with fine green leaves. Buckwheat likewise was not very uncommon, and in some places the people were beginning to reap it. I intend in the sequel [[89]]to be more particular about the qualities and use of these kinds of corn.

After a ride of six English miles, we came to Germantown; this town has only one street, but is near two English miles long. It is for the greatest part inhabited by Germans, who from time to time come from their country to North America, and settle here, because they enjoy such privileges, as they are not possessed of any where else. Most of the inhabitants are tradesmen, and make almost every thing in such quantity and perfection, that in a short time this province will want very little from England, its mother country. Most of the houses were built of the stone which is mixed with glimmer, and found every where towards Philadelphia, but is more scarce further on. Several houses however were made of brick. They were commonly two stories high, and sometimes higher. The roofs consisted of shingles of the white cedar wood. Their shape resembled that of the roofs in Sweden, but the angles they formed at the top were either obtuse, right angled, or acute, according as the slopes were steep or easy. They sometimes formed either the half of an octogon, or the half of a dodecagon.

Many of the roofs were made in such a [[90]]manner, that they could be walked upon, having a balustrade round them. Many of the upper stories had balconies before them, from whence the people had a prospect into the street. The windows, even those in the third story, had shutters. Each house had a fine garden. The town had three churches, one for the lutherans, another for the reformed protestants, and the third for the quakers. The inhabitants were so numerous, that the street was always full. The baptists have likewise a meeting-house.

September the 22d. After I had been at church, I employed the remainder of the day in conversing with the most considerable people in town, who had lived here for a long while, and I enquired into the curiosities hereabouts.

Mr. Cock had a fine spring near his country seat; it came from a sandy hill, and afforded water enough constantly to fill a little brook. Just above this spring Mr. Cock had erected a building from those above-mentioned glittering stones, into which were put many jugs, and other earthen vessels full of milk; for it kept very well in cold water during the great heat with which the summer is attended here.

I afterwards met with many houses which were situated like this on springs, [[91]]and therefore were destined to keep the meat and milk fresh.

Almost all the enclosures round the corn-fields and meadows hereabouts, were made of planks fastened in a horizontal direction. I only perceived a hedge of privet in one single place. The enclosures were not made like ours, for the people here take posts from four to six feet in height, and make two or three holes into them, so that there was a distance of two feet and above between them. Such a post does the same service as two, and sometimes three poles are scarce sufficient. The posts were fastened in the ground, at two or three fathoms distance from each other, and the holes in them kept up the planks, which were nine inches, and sometimes a foot broad, and lay above each other from one post to the next. Such an enclosure therefore looked at a distance like the hurdles in which we enclose the sheep at night in Sweden. They were really no closer than hurdles, being only destined to keep out the greater animals, such as cows and horses. The hogs are kept near the farm-houses every where about Philadelphia, and therefore this enclosure does not need to be made closer on their account. Chesnut trees were commonly made use of for this [[92]]purpose, because this wood keeps longest against putrefaction, and an enclosure made of it can stand for thirty years together. But where no chesnut wood was to be got, the white, and likewise the black oaks were taken for that purpose. Of all kinds of wood, that of the red cedar holds out the longest. The greatest quantity of it is brought up here; for near Philadelphia it is not plentiful enough, to be made use of for enclosures; however there are many enclosures near the town made of this wood.

The best wood for fuel in every body’s opinion is the hiccory, or a species of walnut; for it heats well; but is not good for enclosures, since it cannot well withstand putrefaction when it is in the open air. The white and black oaks are next in goodness for fuel. The woods with which Philadelphia is surrounded, would lead one to conclude, that fuel must be cheap there. But it is far from being so, because the great and high forest near the town is the property of some people of quality and fortune, who do not regard the money which they could make of them. They do not sell so much as they require for their own use, and much less would they sell it to others. But they leave the trees for times to come, expecting that wood will become [[93]]much more scarce. However they sell it to joiners, coach-makers, and other artists, who pay exorbitantly for it. For a quantity of hiccory of eight foot in length, and four in depth, and the pieces being likewise four foot long, they paid at present eighteen shillings of Pensylvanian currency. But the same quantity of oak only came to twelve shillings. The people who came at present to sell wood in the market were peasants, who lived at a great distance from the town. Every body complained that fuel in the space of a few years, was risen in price to many times as much again as it had been, and to account for this, the following reasons were given: the town is encreased to such a degree, as to be four or six times bigger, and more populous than what some old people have known it to be, when they were young. Many brick-kilns have been made hereabouts, which require a great quantity of wood. The country is likewise more cultivated than it used to be, and consequently great woods have been cut down for that purpose; and the farms built in those places likewise consume a quantity of wood. Lastly, they melt iron out of the ore, in several places about the town, and this work always goes on without interruption. For these reasons it is [[94]]concluded in future times Philadelphia will be obliged to pay a great price for wood.

The wine of blackberries, which has a very fine taste, is made in the following manner. The juice of the blackberries is pressed out, and put into a vessel; with half a gallon of this juice, an equal quantity of water is well mixed. Three pounds of brown sugar are added to this mixture, which must then stand for a while, and after that, it is fit for use. Cherry wine is made in the same manner, but care must be taken that when the juice is pressed out, the stones be not crushed, for they give the wine a bad taste.

They make brandy from peaches here, after the following method. The fruit is cut asunder, and the stones are taken out. The pieces of fruit are then put into a vessel, where they are left for three weeks or a month, till they are quite putrid. They are then put into the distilling vessel, and the brandy is made and afterwards distilled over again. This brandy is not good for people who have a more refined taste, but it is only for the common kind of people, such as workmen and the like.

Apples yield a brandy, when prepared in the same manner as the peaches. But for this purpose those apples are chiefly [[95]]taken, which fall from the tree before they are ripe.

The American Night-shade, or Phytolacca decandra, Linn. S. N. grows abundantly near the farms, on the highroad in hedges and bushes, and in several places in the fields. Whenever I came to any of these places I was sure of finding this plant in great abundance. Most of them had red berries, which grew in bunches, and looked very tempting, though they were not at all fit for eating. Some of these plants were yet in flower. In some places, such as in the hedges, and near the houses, they sometimes grow two fathom high. But in the fields were always low; yet I could no where perceive that the cattle had eaten of it. A German of this place who was a confectioner told me, that the dyers gathered the roots of this plant and made a fine red dye of them.

Here are several species of Squirrels. The ground Squirrels, or Sciurus striatus, Linn. S. N. are commonly kept in cages, because they are very pretty: but they cannot he entirely tamed. The greater Squirrels, or Sciurus cinereus, Linn. S. N. frequently do a great deal of mischief in the plantations, but particularly destroy the maize. For they climb up the stalks, cut [[96]]the ears in pieces and eat only the loose and sweet kernel which lies quite in the inside. They sometimes come by hundreds upon a maize-field, and then destroy the whole crop of a countryman in one night. In Maryland therefore every one is obliged annually to bring four squirrels, and their heads are given to the surveyor, to prevent deceit. In other provinces every body that kills squirrels, received twopence a piece for them from the public, on delivering the heads. Their flesh is eaten and reckoned a dainty. The skins are sold, but are not much esteemed. Squirrels are the chief food of the rattle-snake and other snakes, and it was a common fancy with the people hereabouts, that when the rattle snake lay on the ground, and fixed its eyes upon a squirrel, the latter would be as it were fascinated, and that though it were on the uppermost branches of a tree, yet it would come down by degrees, till it leaped into the snake’s mouth. The snake then licks the little animal several times, and makes it wet all over with its spittle, that it may go down the throat easier. It then swallows the whole squirrel at once. When the snake has made such a good meal, it lies down to rest without any concern.

The quadruped, which Dr. Linnæus in [[97]]the memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences, has described by the name of Ursus cauda elongata, and which he calls Ursus Lotor, in his Systema Naturæ, is here called Raccoon. It is found very frequently, and destroys many chickens. It is hunted by dogs, and when it runs upon a tree to save itself, a man climbs upon the tree after it, and shakes it down to the ground, where the dogs kill it. The flesh is eaten, and is reputed to taste well. The bone of its male parts is made use of for a tobacco-stopper. The hatters purchase their skins, and make hats out of the hair, which are next in goodness to beavers. The tail is worn round the neck in winter, and therefore is likewise valuable. The Raccoon is frequently the food of snakes.

Some Englishmen asserted that near the river Potomack in Virginia, a great quantity of oyster shells were to be met with, and that they themselves had seen whole mountains of them. The place where they are found is said to be about two English miles distant from the sea-shore. The proprietor of that ground burns lime out of them. This stratum of oyster-shells is two fathom and more deep. Such quantities of shells have likewise been found in other places, especially in New York, on digging in the [[98]]ground; and in one place, at the distance of some English miles from the sea, avast quantity of oyster-shells, and of other shells was found. Some people conjectured that the natives had formerly lived in that place, and had left the shells of the oysters which they had consumed, in such great heaps. But others could not conceive how it happened that they were thrown in such immense quantities all into one place.

Every one is of opinion that the American savages were a very good-natured people, if they were not attacked. No body is so strict in keeping his word as a savage. If any one of their allies come to visit them, they shew him more kindness, and greater endeavours to serve him, than he could have expected from his own countrymen. Mr. Cock gave me the following relation, as a proof of their integrity. About two years ago, an English merchant travelling amongst the savages, in order to sell them necessaries, and to buy other goods, was secretly killed, without the murderer’s being found out. But about a year after, the savages found out the guilty person amongst themselves. They immediately took him up, bound his hands on his back, and thus sent him with a guard to the governor at Philadelphia, and sent him word, that they could [[99]]no longer acknowledge this wretch (who had been so wicked towards an Englishman) as their countryman, and therefore would have nothing more to do with him, and that they delivered him up to the governor, to be punished for his villainy as the laws of England direct. This Indian was afterwards hanged at Philadelphia.

Their good natural parts are proved by the following account, which many people have given me as a true one. When they send their ambassadors to the English colonies, in order to settle things of consequence with the governor, they sit down on the ground, as soon as they come to his audience, and hear with great attention the governor’s demands which they are to make an answer to. His demands are sometimes many. Yet they have only a stick in their hand, and make their marks on it with a knife, without writing any thing else down. But when they return the next day to give in their resolutions, they answer all the governor’s articles in the same order, in which he delivered them, without leaving one out, or changing the order, and give such accurate answers, as if they had an account of them at full length in writing.

Mr. Sleidorn related another story, which gave me great pleasure. He said he had [[100]]been at New York, and had found a venerable old American savage amongst several others in an inn. This old man began to talk with Sleidorn as soon as the liquor was getting the better of his head, and boasted that he could write and read in English. Sleidorn therefore desired leave to ask a question, which the old man readily granted. Sleidorn then asked him, whether he knew who was first circumcised? and the old man immediately answered, Father Abraham; but at the same time asked leave to propose a question in his turn, which Sleidorn granted; the old man then said, who was the first quaker? Sleidorn said it was uncertain, that some took one person for it, and some another; but the cunning old fellow told him, you are mistaken, sir; Mordecai was the first quaker, for he would not take off his hat to Haman. Many of the savages, who are yet heathens, are said to have some obscure notion of the deluge. But I am convinced from my own experience, that they are not at all acquainted with it.

I met with people here who maintained that giants had formerly lived in these parts, and the following particulars confirmed them in this opinion. A few years ago some people digging in the ground, met with a grave which contained human bones of an [[101]]astonishing size. The Tibia is said to have been fourteen feet long, and the os femoris to have measured as much. The teeth are likewise said to have been of a size proportioned to the rest, But more bones of this kind have not yet been found. Persons skilled in anatomy, who have seen these bones, have declared that they were human bones. One of the teeth has been sent to Hamburgh, to a person who collected natural curiosities. Among the savages, in the neighbourhood of the place where the bones were found, there is an account handed down through many generations from fathers to children, that in this neighbourhood, on the banks of a river, there lived a very tall and strong man, in ancient times, who carried the people over the river on his back, and waded in the water, though it was very deep. Every body to whom he did this service gave him some maize, some skins of animals, or the like. In fine he got his livelyhood by this means, and was as it were the ferryman of those who wanted to pass the river.

The soil here consists for the greatest part of sand, which is more or less mixed with clay. Both the sand and the clay, are of the colour of pale bricks. To judge by [[102]]appearance the ground was none of the best; and this conjecture was verified by the inhabitants of the country. When a corn-field has been obliged to bear the same kind of corn for three years together, it does not after that produce any thing at all if it be not well manured, or fallowed for some years. Manure is very difficult to be got, and therefore people rather leave the field uncultivated. In that interval it is covered with all sorts of plants and trees; and the countryman in the mean while, cultivates a piece of ground which has till then been fallow, or he chuses a part of the ground which has never been ploughed before, and he can in both cases be pretty sure of a plentiful crop. This method can here be used with great convenience. For the soil is loose, so that it can easily be ploughed, and every countryman has commonly a great deal of land for his property. The cattle here are neither housed in winter, nor tended in the fields, and for this reason they cannot gather a sufficient quantity of dung.

All the cattle has been originally brought over from Europe. The natives have never had any, and at present few of them care to get any. But the cattle degenerates [[103]]by degrees here, and becomes smaller. For the cows, horses, sheep, and hogs, are all larger in England, though those which are brought over are of that breed. But the first generation decreases a little, and the third and fourth is of the same size with the cattle already common here. The climate, the soil, and the food, altogether contribute their share towards producing this change.

It is remarkable that the inhabitants of the country, commonly sooner acquire understanding, but likewise grow sooner old than the people in Europe. It is nothing uncommon to see little children, giving sprightly and ready answers to questions that are proposed to them, so that they seem to have as much understanding as old men. But they do not attain to such an age as the Europeans, and it is almost an unheard of thing, that a person born in this country, should live to be eighty or ninety years of age. But I only speak of the Europeans that settled here. For the savages, or first inhabitants, frequently attained a great age, though at present such examples are uncommon, which is chiefly attributed to the great use of brandy, which the savages have learnt of the Europeans. Those who are born in Europe attain a greater age here, [[104]]than those who are born here, of European parents. In the last war, it plainly appeared that these new Americans were by far less hardy than the Europeans in expeditions, sieges, and long sea voyages, and died in numbers. It is very difficult for them to use themselves to a climate different from their own. The women cease bearing children sooner than in Europe. They seldom or never have children, after they are forty or forty-five years old, and some leave off in the thirtieth year of their age. I enquired into the causes of this, but no one could give me a good one. Some said it was owing to the affluence in which the people live here. Some ascribed it to the inconstancy and changeableness of the weather, and believed that there hardly was a country on earth in which the weather changes so often in a day, as it does here. For if it were ever so hot, one could not be certain whether in twenty-four hours there would not be a piercing cold. Nay, sometimes the weather will change five or six times a day.

The trees in this country have the same qualities as its inhabitants. For the ships which are built of American wood, are by no means equal in point of strength, to those which are built in Europe. This is [[105]]what nobody attempts to contradict. When a ship which is built here, has served eight or twelve years it is worth little; and if one is to be met with, which has been in use longer and is yet serviceable, it is reckoned very astonishing. It is difficult to find out the causes from whence this happens. Some lay the fault to the badness of the wood: others condemn the method of building the ships, which is to make them of trees which are yet green, and have had no time to dry. I believe both causes are joined. For I found oak, which at the utmost had been cut down about twelve years, and was covered by a hard bark. But upon taking off this bark, the wood below it was almost entirely rotten, and like flour, so that I could rub it into powder between my fingers. How much longer will not our European oak stand before it moulders?

At night we returned to Philadelphia.

September the 23d. There are no Hares in this country, but some animals, which are a medium between our Hares and Rabbets, and make a great devastation whenever they get into fields of cabbage and turneps.

Many people have not been able to find out why the North American plants which are carried to Europe and planted there, for [[106]]the greatest part flower so late, and do not get ripe fruit before the frost overtakes them, although it appears from several accounts of travels, that the winters in Pensylvania, and more so those in New York, New England, and Canada, are full as severe as our Swedish winters, and therefore are much severer than those which are felt in England. Several men of judgment charged me for this reason to examine and enquire into this phœnomenon with all possible care. But I shall instead of an answer, rather give a few remarks which I made upon the climate and upon the plants of North America, and leave my readers at liberty to draw the conclusions themselves.

1. It is true, that the winters in Pensylvania, and much more those in the more northern provinces, are frequently as severe as our Swedish winters, and much colder than the English ones, or those of the southern parts of Europe. For I found at Philadelphia, which is above twenty deg. more southerly than several provinces in Sweden, that the thermometer of professor Celsius, fell twenty-four deg. below the freezing point in winter. Yet I was assured that the winters I spent here, were none of the coldest, but only common ones, which I could likewise conclude from the Delaware’s [[107]]not being frozen strong enough to bear a carriage at Philadelphia during my stay, though this often happens. On considering the breadth of the river which I have already mentioned in my description of Philadelphia, and the difference between high and low water, which is eight English feet; it will pretty plainly appear that a very intense frost is required to cover the Delaware with such thick ice.

2. But it is likewise true, that though the winters are severe here, yet they are commonly of no long duration, and I can justly say, that they do not continue above two months and sometimes even less, at Philadelphia; and it is something very uncommon when they continue for three months together, in so much that it is put into the gazettes. Nearer the pole the winters are somewhat longer, and in the quite northern parts they are as long as the Swedish winters. The daily meteorological observations which I have made during my stay in America, and which I intend to annex at the end of each volume of this work, will give more light in this matter.

3. The heat in summer is excessive, and without intermission. I own I have seen the thermometer rise to nearly the same degree at Aobo in Finland. But the difference [[108]]is, that when the thermometer of professor Celsius rose to thirty deg. above the freezing point once in two or three summers at Aobo, the same thermometer did not only for three months together stand at the same degree, but even sometimes rose higher; not only in Pensylvania, but likewise in New York, Albany, and a great part of Canada. During the summers which I spent at Philadelphia, the thermometer has two or three times risen to thirty-six deg. above the freezing point. It may therefore with great certainty be said, that in Pensylvania the greatest part of April, the whole May, and all the following months till October, are like our Swedish months of June and July. So excessive and continued a heat must certainly have very great effects. I here again refer to my meteorological observations. It must likewise be ascribed to the effects of this heat that the common melons, the water melons, and the pumpions of different sorts are sown in the fields without any bells or the like put over them, and yet are ripe as early as July; further, that cherries are ripe at Philadelphia about the 25th. of May, and that in Pensylvania the wheat is frequently reaped in the middle of June.

4. The whole of September, and half, if [[109]]not the whole of October, are the finest months in Pensylvania, for the preceding ones are too hot. But these represent our July and half of August. The greatest part of the plants are in flower in September, and many do not begin to open their flowers before the latter end of this month. I make no doubt that the goodness of the season, which is enlivened by a clear sky, and a tolerably hot sun-shine, greatly contributes towards this last effort of Flora. Yet though these plants come out so late, they are quite ripe before the middle of October. But I am not able to account for their coming up so late in autumn, and I rather ask, why do not the Centaurea Jacea, the Gentiana, Amarella and Centaurium of Linnæus, and the common golden rod, or Solidago Virgaurea flower before the end of summer? or why do the common noble liverwort, or Anemone Hepatica, the wild violets (Viola martia, Linn.) the mezereon (Daphne Mezereum, Linn.) and other plants shew their flowers so early in spring? It has pleased the Almighty Creator to give to them this disposition. The weather at Philadelphia during these months, is shewn by my meteorological tables. I have taken the greatest care in my observations, and have always avoided putting the thermometer [[110]]into any place where the sun could shine upon it, or where he had before heated the wall by his beams; for in those cases my observations would certainly not have been exact. The weather during our September and October is too well known to want an explanation.[15]

5. However there are some spontaneous plants in Pensylvania, which do not every year bring their seeds to maturity before the cold begins. To these belong some species of Gentiana, of Asters, and others. But in these too the wisdom of the Creator has wisely ordered every thing in its turn. For almost all the plants which have the quality of flowering so late in autumn, are perennial, or such as, though they have no seed to propagate themselves, can revive by shooting new branches and stalks from the same root every year. But perhaps a natural cause may be given to account for the late growth of these plants. Before the Europeans came into this country, it was inhabited by savage nations, who practised agriculture but little or not at all, and chiefly [[111]]lived upon hunting and fishing. The woods therefore have never been meddled with, except that sometimes a small part was destroyed by fire. The accounts which we have of the first landing of the Europeans here, shew that they found the country all over covered with thick forests.[16] From hence it follows, that excepting the higher trees, and the plants which grow in the water or near the shore, the rest must for the greatest part have been obliged to grow perhaps for a thousand years together, in a shade, either below or between the trees, and they therefore naturally belong to those which are only peculiar to woody and shady places. The trees in this country drop their leaves in such quantities in autumn, that the ground is covered with them to the depth of four or five inches. These leaves lie a good while in the next summer before they moulder, and this must of course hinder the growth of the plants which are under the trees, at the same time depriving them of the few rays of the sun which can come down to them through the thick leaves at the top of the trees. These causes joined together make such plants flower much later than they would otherwise do. May [[112]]it not therefore be said, that in so many centuries these plants had at last contracted a habit of coming up very late, and that it would now require a great space of time to make them lose this habit, and use them to quicken their growth?

September the 24th. We employed this whole day in gathering the seeds of plants of all kinds, and in putting scarce plants into the herbal.

September the 25th. Mr. Hesselius made me a present of a little piece of petrified wood, which was found in the ground here. It was four inches long, one inch broad, and three lines thick. It might plainly be seen that it had formerly been wood. For in the places where it had been polished, all the longitudinal fibres were easily distinguishable, so that it might have been taken for a piece of oak which was cut smooth. My piece was part of a still greater piece. It was here thought to be petrified hiccory. I afterwards got more of it from other people. Mr. Lewis Evans told me that on the boundaries of Virginia, a great petrified block of hiccory had been found in the ground, with the bark on it, which was likewise petrified.

Mr. John Bartram is an Englishman, who lives in the country about four miles [[113]]from Philadelphia. He has acquired a great knowledge of natural philosophy and history, and seems to be born with a peculiar genius for these sciences. In his youth he had no opportunity of going to school. But by his own diligence and indefatigable application he got, without instruction, so far in Latin, as to understand all Latin books, and even those which were filled with botanical terms. He has in several successive years made frequent excursions into different distant parts of North America, with an intention of gathering all sorts of plants which are scarce and little known. Those which he found he has planted in his own botanical garden, and likewise sent over their seeds or fresh roots to England. We owe to him the knowledge of many scarce plants, which he first found, and which were never known before. He has shewn great judgment, and an attention which lets nothing escape unnoticed. Yet with all these great qualities, he is to be blamed for his negligence; for he did not care to write down his numerous and useful observations. His friends at London once obliged him to send them a short account of one of his travels, and they were very ready, with a good intention, though not with sufficient judgment, to get this account printed. [[114]]But this book, did Mr. Bartram more harm than good; for as he is rather backward in writing down what he knows, this publication was found to contain but few new observations. It would not however be doing justice to Mr. Bartram’s merit, if it were to be judged of by this performance. He has not filled it with a thousandth part of the great knowledge, which he has acquired in natural philosophy and history, especially in regard to North America. I have often been at a loss to think of the sources, from whence he got many things which came to his knowledge. I likewise owe him many things, for he possessed that great quality of communicating every thing he knew. I shall therefore in the sequel, frequently mention this gentleman. For I should never forgive myself, if I were to omit the name of the first inventor, and claim that as my own invention, which I learnt from another person.

Many Muscle shells, or Mytili anatini, are to be met with on the north-west side of the town in the clay-pits, which were at present filled with water from a little brook in the neighbourhood. These muscles seem to have been washed into that place by the tide, when the water in the brook was high. For these clay-pits are not old, but were [[115]]lately made. Poor boys sometimes go out of town, wade in the water, and gather great quantities of these shells, which they sell very easily, they being reckoned a dainty.

The Virginian Azarole with a red fruit, or Linnæus’s Cratægus Crus galli, is a species of hawthorn, and they plant it in hedges, for want of that hawthorn, which is commonly used for this purpose in Europe. Its berries are red, and of the same size, shape, and taste with those of our hawthorn. Yet this tree does not seem to make a good hedge, for its leaves were already fallen, whilst other trees still preserved theirs. Its spines are very long and sharp; their length being two or three inches. These spines are applied to some inconsiderable use. Each berry contains two stones.

Mr. Bartram assured me, that the North American oak, cannot resist putrefaction for near such a space of time, as the European. For this reason, the boats (which carry all sorts of goods down from the upper parts of the country) upon the river Hudson, which is one of the greatest in these parts, are made of two kinds of wood. That part which must always be under water, is made of black oak; but [[116]]the upper part, which is now above and now under water, and is therefore more exposed to putrefaction, is made of red cedar or Juniperus Virginiana, which is reckoned the most hardy wood in the country. The bottom is made of black oak, because that wood is very tough. For the river being full of stones, and the boats frequently running against them, the black oak gives way, and therefore does not easily crack. But the cedar would not do for this purpose; because it is hard and brittle. The oak likewise is not so much attacked by putrefaction, when it is always kept under water.

In autumn, I could always get good pears here; but every body acknowledged, that this fruit would not succeed well in the country.

All my observations and remarks on the qualities of the Rattle-snake, are inserted in the Memoirs of the Swedish Academy of Sciences, for the year 1752, p. 316, and for the year 1753, p. 54, and thither I refer the reader.[17]

Bears are very numerous higher up in the country, and do much mischief. Mr. Bartram told me, that when a bear catches [[117]]a cow, kills her in the following manner: he bites a hole into the hide, and blows with all his power into it, till the animal swells excessively and dies; for the air expands greatly between the flesh and the hide.[18] An old Swede called Nils Gustave’s son, who was ninety-one years of age, said, that in his youth, the bears had been very frequent hereabouts, but that they had seldom attacked the cattle: that whenever a bear was killed, its flesh was prepared like pork, and that it had a very good taste. And the flesh of bears is still prepared like ham, on the river Morris. The environs of Philadelphia, and even the whole province of Pensylvania in general contain very few bears, they having been extirpated by degrees. In Virginia they kill them in several different ways. Their flesh is eaten by both rich and poor, since it is reckoned equal in goodness to pork. In [[118]]some parts of this province, where no hogs can be kept on account of the great numbers of bears, the people are used to catch and kill them, and to use them instead of hogs. The American bears however, are said to be less fierce and dangerous, than the European ones.

September the 26th. The broad plantain, or Plantago major, grows on the highroads, foot paths, meadows, and in gardens in great plenty. Mr. Bartram had found this plant in many places on his travels, but he did not know whether it was an original American plant, or whether the Europeans had brought it over. This doubt had its rise from the savages (who always had an extensive knowledge of the plants of the country) pretending that this plant never grew here before the arrival of the Europeans., They therefore give it a name which signifies, the Englishman’s foot, for they say that where a European had walked, there this plant grew in his foot steps.

The Chenopodium album, or Goosefoot with sinuated leaves, grows in plenty in the gardens. But it is more scarce near the houses, in the streets, on dunghills and corn-fields. This seems to shew, that it is not a native of America, but has been brought over amongst other seeds from Europe. In the [[119]]same manner it is thought that the Tansey (Tanacetum vulgare, Linn.) which grows here and there in the hedges, on the roads, and near houses, was produced from European seeds.

The common vervain, with blue flowers, or verbena officinalis, was shewn to me by Mr. Bartram, not far from his house in a little plain near Philadelphia. It was the only place where he had found it in America. And for this reason I suppose it was likewise sown here amongst other European seeds.

Mr. Bartram was at this time-building a house in Philadelphia, and had sunk a cellar to a considerable depth, the soil of which was thrown out. I here observed the following strata. The upper loose soil was only half a foot deep, and of a dark brown colour. Under it was a stratum of clay so much blended with sand, that it was in greater quantity than the clay itself; and this stratum was eight feet deep. These were both brick coloured. The next stratum consisted of little pebbles mixed with a coarse sand. The stones consisted either of a clear, or of a dark Quartz;[19] they were [[120]]quite smooth and roundish on the outside, and lay in a stratum which was a foot deep. Then the brick-coloured clay mixed with sand appeared again. But the depth of this stratum could not be determined. Query, could the river formerly have reached to this place and formed these strata?

Mr. Bartram has not only frequently found oyster-shells in the ground, but likewise met with such shells and snails, as undoubtedly belong to the sea, at the distance of a hundred and more English miles from the shore. He has even found them on the ridge of mountains which separate the English plantations from the habitations of the savages. These mountains which the English call the blue mountains, are of considerable height, and extend, in one continued chain from north to south, or from Canada to Carolina. Yet in some places they have gaps, which are as it were broke through, to afford a passage for the great rivers, which roll down into the lower country.

The Cassia Chamæcrista grew on the roads the woods, and sometimes [[121]]on uncultivated fields, especially when shrubs grew in them. Its leaves are like those of the Sensitive plant, or Mimosa, and have likewise the quality of contracting when touched, in common with the leaves of the latter.

The Crows in this country are little different from our common crows in Sweden. Their size is the same with that of our crows, and they are as black as jet in every part of their body. I saw them flying to day in great numbers together. Their voice is not quite like that of our crows, but has rather more of the cry of the rook, or Linnæus’s Corvus frugilegus.

Mr. Bartram related, that on his journeys to the northern English colonies, he had discovered great holes in the mountains on the banks of rivers, which according to his description, must exactly have been such giants pots,[20] as are to be met with in Sweden, and which I have described in a particular dissertation read in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Mr. Bartram has likewise addressed some letters to the Royal Society at London upon this subject. For [[122]]some people pretended, that these holes were made by the savages, that they might in time of war hide their corn and other valuable effects in them. But he wrote against this opinion, and accounted for the origin of these cavities in the following manner. When the ice settles, many pebbles stick in it. In spring when the snow melts, the water in the rivers swells so high that it reaches above the place where these holes are now found in the mountains. The ice therefore will of course float as high. And then it often happens, that the pebbles which were contained in it, ever since autumn when it first settled on the banks of the river, fall out of the ice upon the rocky bank, and are from thence carried into a cleft or crack by the water. These pebbles are then continually turned about by the water, which comes in upon them, and by this means they gradually form the hole. The water at the same time polishes the stone by its circular motion round it, and helps to make the hole or cavity round. It is certain that by this turning and tossing, the stone is at last unfit for this purpose; but the river throws commonly every spring other stones instead of it into the cavity, and they are turned round in the same manner. By this whirling both the mountain [[123]]and the stone afford either a fine or a coarse sand, which is washed away by the water when in spring, or at other times it is high enough to throw its waves into the cavity. This was the opinion of Mr. Bartram about the origin of these cavities. The Royal Society of Sciences at London, has given a favourable reception to, and approved of them.[21] The remarks which I made in the summer of the year 1743, during my stay at Land’s-Ort, in my country, will prove that I was at that time of the same opinion, in regard to these holes. I have since further explained this opinion in a letter to the Royal Academy of Sciences; and this letter is still preserved in the Academy’s Memoirs, which have not yet been published. But there is great reason to doubt, whether all cavities of this kind in mountains, have the same origin.

Here are different species of Mulberry trees, which grow wild in the forests of north and south America. In these parts the red mulberry trees are more plentiful than any other. However Mr. Bartram assured me that he had likewise seen the [[124]]white mulberry trees growing wild, but that they were more scarce. I asked him and several other people of this country, why they did not set up silk manufactures, having such a quantity of mulberries, which succeed so easily? For it has been observed that when the berries fall upon the ground where it is not compact but loose, they soon put out several fine delicate shoots. But they replied that it would not be worth while to erect any silk manufactures here, because labour is so dear. For a man gets from eighteen pence to three shillings and upwards, for one day’s work, and the women are paid in proportion. They were therefore of opinion that the cultivation of all sorts of corn, of hemp, and of flax, would be of greater advantage, and that at the same time it did not require near so much care as the feeding of silk worms. By the trials of a governor in Connecticut, which is a more northern province than New York, it is evident however, that silk worms succeed very well here, and that this kind of mulberry trees is very good for them. The governor brought up a great quantity of silk worms in his court yard; and they succeeded so well, and spun so much silk, as to afford him a sufficient quantity for cloathing himself and all his family. [[125]]

Several sorts of Vines likewise grow wild hereabouts. Whenever I made a little excursion out of town, I saw them in numerous places climbing up trees and hedges. They clasp around them, and cover them sometimes entirely, and even hang down on the sides. This has the same appearance at a distance, as the tendrils of hops climbing along trees. I enquired of Mr. Bartram why they did not plant vineyards, or press wine from the grapes of the wild vine. But they answered, that the same objection lay against it, which lies against the erection of a silk manufacture, that the necessary hands were too scarce, and it therefore was more rational to make agriculture their chief employment. But the true reason undoubtedly is, that the wine which is pressed out of most of the North American wild grapes is sour and sharp, and has not near such an agreeable taste, as that which is made from European grapes.

The Virginian Wake robin, or Arum Virginicum, grows in wet places. Mr. Bartram told me, that the savages boiled the spadix and the berries of this flower, and devoured it as a great dainty. When the berries are raw, they have a harsh, pungent [[126]]taste, which they lose in great measure upon boiling.

The Sarothra Gentianoides, grows abundantly in the fields and under the bushes, in a dry sandy ground near Philadelphia. It looks extremely like our whortleberry bushes when they first begin to green, and when the points of the leaves are yet red. Mr. Bartram has sent this plant to Dr. Dillenius, but that gentleman did not know where he should range it. It is reckoned a very good traumatic, and this quality Mr. Bartram himself experienced; for being thrown and kicked by a vicious horse, in such a manner as to have both his thighs greatly hurt, he boiled the Sarothra and applied it to his wounds. It not only immediately appeased his pain, which before had been very violent, but he likewise by its assistance recovered in a short time.

Having read in Mr. Miller’s Botanical Dictionary, that Mr. Peter Collinson had a particular Larch tree from America in his garden, I asked Mr. Bartram whether he was acquainted with it, he answered, that he had sent it himself to Mr. Collinson, that it only grew in the eastern parts of New Jersey, and that he had met with it in no other English plantation. It differs from the other species of Larch trees, its [[127]]cones being much less. I afterwards saw this tree in great plenty in Canada.

Mr. Bartram was of opinion, that the apple tree was brought into America by the Europeans, and that it never was there before their arrival. But he looked upon peaches as an original American fruit, and as growing wild in the greatest part of America. Others again were of opinion, that they were first brought over by the Europeans. But all the French in Canada agreed, that on the banks of the river Missisippi and in the country thereabouts peaches were found growing wild in great quantity.[22]

September the 27th. The tree which the English here call Persimon, is the Diospyros Virginiana of Linnæus. It grows for the greatest part in wet places, round the water pits. I have already mentioned that the fruits of this tree are extremely bitter and sharp before they are quite ripe, and that being eaten in that state they quite [[128]]contract ones mouth, and have a very disagreeable taste. But as soon as they are ripe, which does not happen till they have been quite softened by the frost, they are a very agreeable fruit. They are here eaten raw, and seldom any other way. But in a great book, which contains a description of Virginia, you meet with different ways of preparing the Persimon, under the article of that name. Mr. Bartram, related that they were commonly put upon the table amongst the sweet-meats, and that some people made a tolerably good wine of them. Some of these Persimon fruits were dropped on the ground in his garden, and were almost quite ripe, having been exposed to a great degree of the heat of the sun. We picked up a few and tasted them, and I must own that those who praised this fruit as an agreeable one, have but done it justice. It really deserves a place among the most palatable fruit of this country, when the frost has thoroughly conquered its acrimony.

The Verbascum Thapsus, or great white Mullein, grows in great quantity on roads, in hedges, on dry fields, and high meadows of a ground mixed with sand. The Swedes here call it the tobacco of the savages, but owned, that they did not know whether [[129]]or no the Indians really used this plant instead of tobacco. The Swedes are used to tie the leaves round their feet and arms, when they have the ague. Some of them prepared a tea from the leaves, for the dysentery. A Swede likewise told me, that a decoction of the roots was injected into the wounds of the cattle which are full of worms, which killed these worms, and made them fall out.[23]

September the 28th. The meadows which are surrounded by wood, and were at present mown, have a fine lively verdure. On the contrary when they lie on hills, or in open fields, or in some elevated situation, especially so that the sun may be able to act upon them without any obstacles, their grass looks brown and dry. Several people from Virginia told me, that on account of the great heat and drought, the meadows and pastures almost always had a brown colour, and looked as if they were burnt. The inhabitants of those parts do not therefore enjoy the pleasure which a European [[130]]feels at the sight of our verdant, odoriferous meadows.

The American Nightshade, or the Phytolacca decandra, grows abundantly in the fields, and under the trees, on little hills. Its black berries are now ripe. We observed to day some little birds with a blue plumage, and of the size of our Hortulans and Yellow Hammers (Emberiza Citrinella and Emberiza Hortulanus) flying down from the trees, in order to settle upon the nightshade and eat its berries.

Towards night I went to Mr. Bartram’s country seat.

September the 29th. The Gnaphalium margaritaceum, grows in astonishing quantities upon all uncultivated fields, glades, hills, and the like. Its height is different according to its different soil and situation. Sometimes it is very ramose, and sometimes very little. It has a strong, but agreeable smell. The English call it Life everlasting; for its flowers, which consist chiefly of dry, shining, silvery leaves (Folia calycina) do not change when dried. This plant is now every where in full blossom. But some have already lost the flowers, and are beginning to drop the seeds. The English ladies were used to gather great quantities of this Life everlasting, and to pluck them [[131]]with the stalks. For they put them into pots with or without water, amongst other fine flowers which they had gathered both in the gardens and in the fields, and placed them as an ornament in the rooms. The English ladies in general are much inclined to have fine flowers all the summer long, in or upon the chimneys, sometimes upon a table, or before the windows, either on account of their fine appearance, or for the sake of their sweet scent. The Gnaphalium above-mentioned, was one of those, which they kept in their rooms during the winter, because its flowers never altered from what they were when they stood in the ground. Mr. Bartram told me another use of this plant. A decoction of the flowers and stalks is used to bathe any pained or bruised part, or it is rubbed with the plant itself tied up in a bag.

Instead of flax several people made use of a kind of Dog’s bane, or Linnæus’s Apocynum cannabinum. The people prepared the stalks of this plant, in the same manner as we prepare those of hemp or flax. It was spun and several kinds of stuffs were woven from it. The savages are said to have had the art of making bags, fishing-nets, and the like, for many centuries together, before the arrival of the Europeans. [[132]]

I asked Mr. Bartram, whether he had observed in his travels, that the water was fallen, and that the sea had formerly covered any places which were now land. He told me, that from what he had experienced, he was convinced that the greatest part of this country, even for several miles together, had formerly been under water. The reasons which led him to give credit to this opinion, were the following.

1. On digging in the blue mountains, which are above three hundred English miles distant from the sea, you find loose oyster and other sorts of shells, and they are also likewise to be met with in the vallies formed by these mountains.

2. A vast quantity of petrified shells are found in limestone, flint, and sandstone, on the same mountains. Mr. Bartram assured me at the same time, that it was incredible what quantities of them there were in the different kinds of stones of which the mountains consist.

3. The same shells are likewise dug in great quantity, quite entire and not mouldered, in the provinces of Virginia and Maryland, as also in Philadelphia and in New York.

4. On digging wells (not only in Philadelphia, but likewise in other places) the [[133]]people have met with trees, roots, and leaves of oak, for the greatest part, not yet rotten, at the depth of eighteen feet.

5. The best soil and the richest mould is to be met with in the vallies hereabouts. These vallies are commonly crossed by a rivulet or brook. And on their declivity, a mountain commonly rises, which in those places where the brook passes close to it, looks as if it were cut on purpose. Mr. Bartram believed, that all these vallies formerly were lakes; that the water had by degrees hollowed out the mountain, and opened a passage for itself through it; and that the great quantity of slime which is contained in the water, and which had subsided to the bottom of the lake, was the rich soil which is at present in the vallies, and the cause of their great fertility. But such vallies and cloven mountains are very frequent in the country, and of this kind is the peculiar gap between two mountains, through which a river takes its course or boundaries of New York and Pennsylvania. The people in a jest say, that this opening by the D—l, as he wanted to go out of Pennsylvania into New York.

6. The whole appearance of the blue mountains, plainly shews that the water [[134]]formerly covered at part of them. For many are broken in a peculiar manner, but the highest are plain.

7. When the savages are told, that shells are found on these high mountains, and that from thence there is reason to believe that the sea must formerly have extended to them, and even in part flown over them; they answer that this is not new to them, they having a tradition from their ancestors among them, that the sea formerly surrounded these mountains.

8. The water in rivers and brooks likewise decreases. Mills, which sixty years ago were built on rivers, and at that time had a sufficient supply of water almost all the year long, have at present so little, that they cannot be used, but after a heavy rain, or when the snow melts in spring. This decrease of water in part arises from the great quantity of land which is now cultivated, and from the extirpation of great forests for that purpose.

9. The sea-shore increases likewise in time. This arises from the quantity of sand continually thrown on shore from the bottom of the sea, by the waves.

Mr. Bartram thought that some peculiar attention should be paid to another thing relating to these observations. The shells [[135]]which are to be found petrified on the northern mountains, are of such kinds as at present are not to be got in the sea, in the same latitude, and they are not fished on the shore, till you come to South Carolina. Mr. Bartram from hence took an occasion to defend Dr. Thomas Burnet’s opinion, that the earth before the deluge was in a different position towards the sun. He likewise asked whether the great bones which are sometimes found in the ground in Siberia, and which are supposed to be elephant’s bones and tusks, did not confirm this opinion. For at present those animals cannot live in such cold countries; but if according to Dr. Burnet, the sun once formed different zones about our earth, from those it now makes, the elephant may easily be supposed to have lived in Siberia.[24] However it [[136]]seems that all which we have hitherto mentioned, may have been the effect of different causes. To those belong the universal deluge, the increase of land which is merely [[137]]the work of time, and the changes of the course of rivers, which when the snow melts and in great floods, leave their first beds, and form new ones.

At some distance from Mr. Bartram’s country house, a little brook flowed through the wood, and likewise ran over a rock. The attentive Mr. Bartram here shewed me several little cavities in the rock, and we plainly saw that they must have been generated in the manner I before described, that is, by supposing a pebble to have remained in a cleft of the rock, and to have been turned round by the violence of the water, till it had formed such cavity in the mountain. For on putting our hands into one of these cavities, we found that it contained numerous small pebbles, whose surface was quite smooth and round. And these stones we found in each of the holes.

Mr. Bartram shewed me a number of [[138]]plants which he had collected into a herbal on his travels. Among these were the following, which likewise grow in the northern parts of Europe, of which he had either got the whole plants, or only broken branches.

• 1. Betula alba. The common birch tree, which he had found on the cats-hills.
• 2. Betula nana. This species of birch grows in several low places towards the hills.
• 3. Comarum palustre, in the meadows, between the hills in New Jersey.
• 4. Gentiana lutea, the great Gentian, from the fields near the mountains. It was very like our variety, but had not so many flowers under each leaf.
• 5. Linnæa borealis, from the mountains in Canada. It creeps along the ground.
• 6. Myrica Gale, from the neighbourhood of the river Susquehanna, where it grows in a wet soil.
• 7. Potentilla fruticosa, from the swampy fields and low meadows, between the river Delaware, and the river New York.
• 8. Trientalis Europæa, from the cats-hills.
• 9. Triglochin maritimum, from the salt springs towards the country of the five nations.

[[139]]

Mr. Bartram shewed me a letter from East Jersey, in which he got the following account of the discovery of an Indian grave. In the April of the year 1744, as some people were digging a cellar, they came upon a great stone, like a tombstone, which was at last got out with great difficulty, and about four feet deeper under it, they met with a large quantity of human bones and a cake of maize. The latter was yet quite untouched, and several of the people present tasted it out of curiosity. From these circumstances it was concluded that this was a grave of a person of note among the savages. For it is their custom to bury along with the deceased, meat any other things which he liked best. The stone was eight feet long, four feet broad, and even some inches more where it was broadest, and fifteen inches thick at one end, but only twelve inches at the other end. It consisted of the same coarse kind of stone, that is to be got in this country. There were no letters nor other characters visible on it.

The corn which the Indians chiefly cultivate is the Maize, or Zea Mays, Linn. Then have little corn fields for that purpose. But besides this, they likewise plant a great quantity of Squashes, a species of [[140]]pumpions or melons, which they have always cultivated, even in the remotest ages. The Europeans settled in America, got the seeds of this plant, and at present their gardens are full of it, the fruit has an agreeable taste when it is well prepared. They are commonly boiled, then crushed (as we are used to do with turneps when we make a pulse of them) and some pepper or other spice thrown upon them, and the dish is ready. The Indians likewise sow several kinds of beans, which for the greatest part they have got from the Europeans. But pease which they likewise sow, they have always had amongst them, before any foreigners came into the country. The squashes of the Indians, which now are likewise cultivated by the Europeans, belong to those kinds of gourds (cucurbita,) which ripen before any other. They are a very delicious fruit, but will not keep. I have however seen them kept till pretty laid In winter.

September the 30th. Wheat and rye are sown in autumn about this time, and commonly reaped towards the end of June, or in the beginning of July. These kinds of corn, however, are sometimes ready to be reaped in the middle of June, and there are even examples that they have been [[141]]mown in the beginning of that month. Barley and oats are sown in April, and they commonly begin to grow ripe towards the end of July. Buck-wheat is sown in the middle or at the end of July, and is about this time, or somewhat later, ready to be reaped. If it be sown before the above-mentioned time, as in May, or in June, it only gives flowers, and little or no corn.

Mr. Bartram and other people assured me, that most of the cows which the English have here, are the offspring of those which they bought of the Swedes when they were masters of the country. The English themselves are said to have brought over but few. The Swedes either brought their cattle from home, or bought them of the Dutch, who were then settled here.

Near the town, I saw an Ivy or Hedera Helix, planted against the wall of a stone building, which was so covered by the fine green leaves of this plant, as almost to conceal the whole. It was doubtless brought over from Europe, for I have never perceived it any where else on my travels through North-America. But in its stead I have often seen wild vines made to run up the walls.

I asked Mr. Bartram, whether he had [[142]]observed, that trees and plants decreased in proportion as they were brought further to the North, as Catesby pretends? He answered, that the question should be more limited, and then his opinion would prove the true one. There are some trees which grow better in southern countries, and become less as you advance to the north. Their seeds or berries are sometimes brought into colder climates by birds and by other accidents. They gradually decrease in growth, till at last they will not grow at all. On the other hand, there are other trees and herbs which the wise Creator destined for the northern countries, and they grow there to an amazing size. But the further they are transplanted to the south, the less they grow; till at last they degenerate so much as not to be able to grow at all. Other plants love a temperate climate, and if they be carried either south or north, they will not succeed well, but always decrease. Thus for example Pensylvania contains some trees which grow exceedingly well, but always decrease in proportion as they are carried further off either to the north, or to the south.

I afterwards on my travels, had frequent proofs of this truth. The Sassafras, which grows in Pensylvania, under [[143]]forty deg. of lat. and becomes a pretty tall and thick tree, was so little at Oswego and Fort Nicholson, between forty-three. and forty-four deg. of lat. that it hardly reached the height of two or four feet, and was seldom so thick as the little finger of a full grown person. This was likewise the case with the Tulip tree. For in Pensylvania it grows as high as our tallest oaks and firs, and its thickness is proportionable to its height. But about Oswego it was not above twelve feet high, and no thicker than a man’s arm. The Sugar Maple, or Acer saccharinum, is one of the most common trees in the woods of Canada, and grows very tall. But in the southern provinces, as New Jersey and Pensylvania, it only grows on the northern side of the blue mountains, and on the steep hills which are on the banks of the river, and which are turned to the north. Yet there it does not attain to a third or fourth part of the height which it has in Canada. It is needless to mention more examples.

October the 1st. The gnats which are very troublesome at night here, are called Musquetoes. They are exactly like the gnats in Sweden, only somewhat less, and the description which is to be met with in Dr. Linnæus’s Systema Naturæ, and Fauna [[144]]Suecica, fully agrees with them, and they are called by him Culex pipiens. In day time or at night they come into the houses, and when the people are gone to bed they begin their disagreeable humming, approach always nearer to the bed, and at last suck up so much blood, that they can hardly fly away. Their bite causes blisters in people of a delicate complexion. When the weather has been cool for some days, the musquetoes disappear. But when it changes again, and especially after a rain, they gather frequently in such quantities about the houses, that their numbers are astonishing. The chimneys of the English which have no valves for shutting them up, afford the gnats a free entrance into the houses. In sultry evenings, they accompany the cattle in great swarms, from the woods to the houses or to town, and when they are drove before the houses, the gnats fly in wherever they can. In the greatest heat of summer, they are so numerous in some places, that the air seems to be quite full of them, especially near swamps and stagnant waters, such as the river Morris in New Jersey. The inhabitants therefore make a fire before their houses to expell these disagreeable guests by the smoak. The old Swedes here, said that gnats had formerly been [[145]]much more numerous; that even at present they swarmed in vast quantities on the sea shore near the salt water, and that those which troubled us this autumn in Philadelphia were of a more venomous kind, than they commonly used to be. This last quality appeared from the blisters, which were formed on the spots, where the gnats had inserted their sting. In Sweden I never felt any other inconvenience from their sting, than a little itching; whilst they sucked. But when they stung me here at night, my face was so disfigured by little red spots and blisters, that I was almost ashamed to shew myself.

I have already mentioned somewhat about the enclosures usual here; I now add, that most of the planks which are put horizontally, and of which the enclosures in the environs of Philadelphia chiefly consist, are of the red cedar wood, which is here reckoned more durable than any other. But where this could not be got, either white or black oak supplied its place. The people were likewise very glad if they could get cedar wood for the posts, or else they took white oak, or chesnut, as I was told by Mr. Bartram. But it seems that that kind of wood in general does not keep well in the ground for a considerable time. I [[146]]saw some posts made of chesnut wood, and put into the ground only the year before, which were already for the greatest part rotten below.

The Sassafras tree, or Laurus Sassafras, Linn. grows in abundance in the country, and stands scattered up and down the woods, and near bushes and enclosures. On old grounds, which are left uncultivated, it is one of the first that comes up, and is as plentiful as young birches are on those Swedish fields, which are formed by burning the trees which grew on them.[25] The sassafras grows in a dry loose ground, of a pale brick colour, which consists for the greatest part of sand, mixed with some clay. It seems to be but a poor soil. The mountains round Gothenburgh, in Sweden, would afford many places rich enough for the Sassafras to grow in, and I even fear they would be too rich. I here saw it both in the woods amidst other trees, and more frequently by itself along the enclosures. [[147]]In both it looks equally fresh. I have never seen it on wet or low places. The people here gather its flowers, and use them instead of tea. But the wood itself is of no use in œconomy; for when it is set on fire, it causes a continual crackling, without making any good fire. The tree spreads its roots very much, and new shoots come up from them in some places; but these shoots are not good for transplanting, because they have so few fibres besides the root, which connects them to the main stem, that they cannot well strike into the ground. If therefore any one would plant Sassafras trees he must endeavour to get their berries, which however is difficult, since the birds eat them before they are half ripe. The cows are very greedy after the tender new shoots, and look for them every where.

The bark of this tree is used by the women here in dying worsted a fine lasting orange colour, which does not fade in the sun. They use urine instead of alum in dying, and boil the dye in a brass boiler, because in an iron vessel it does not yield so fine a colour. A woman in Virginia has successfully employed the berries of the Sassafras against a great pain in one of her feet, which for three years together she had to such a degree, that it almost hindered [[148]]her from walking. She was advised to broil the berries of sassafras, and to rub the painful parts of her foot with the oil, which by this means would be got from the berries. She did so, but at the same time it made her vomit; yet this was not sufficient to keep her from following the prescription three times more, though as often as she made use thereof, it always had the same effect. However she was entirely freed from that pain, and perfectly recovered.

A black Woodpecker with a red head, or the Picus pileatus, Linn. is frequent in the Pensylvanian forests, and stays the winter, as I know from my own experience. It is reckoned among those birds which destroy the maize; because it settles on the ripe ears, and destroys them with its bill. The Swedes call it Tillkroka, but all other woodpeckers, those with gold yellow wings excepted, are called Hackspickar in the Swedish language. I intend to describe them altogether more exactly in a particular work. I only observe here, that almost all the different species of woodpeckers are very noxious to the maize, when it begins to ripen: for by picking holes in the membrane round the ear, the rain gets into it, and causes the ear with all the corn it contains to rot. [[149]]

October the 3d. In the morning I set out for Wilmington, which was formerly called Christina by the Swedes, and is thirty English miles to the south west of Philadelphia. Three miles behind Philadelphia I passed the river Skulkill in a ferry, beyond which the country appears almost a continual chain of mountains and vallies. The mountains have an easy slope on all sides, and the vallies are commonly crossed by brooks with crystal streams. The greater part of the country is covered with several kinds of deciduous trees; for I scarcely saw a single tree of the fir kind, if I except a few red cedars. The forest was high, but open below, so that it left a free prospect to the eye, and no under-wood obstructed the passage between the trees. It would have been easy in some places to have gone under the branches with a carriage for a quarter of a mile, the trees standing at great distances from each other, and the ground being very level. In some places little glades opened, which were either meadows, pastures, or corn-fields; of which latter some were cultivated and others not. In a few places, several houses were built close to each other. But for the greatest part they were single. In part of the fields the wheat was already sown, in the English [[150]]manner without trenches, but with furrows pretty close together. I sometimes saw the country people very busy in sowing their rye. Near every farm-house was a little field with maize. The inhabitants hereabouts were commonly either English or Swedes.

All the day long I saw a continual variety of trees; walnut trees of different sorts, which were all full of nuts; chesnut trees quite covered with fine chesnuts; mulberries, sassafras, liquidambar, tulip trees, and many others.

Several species of vines grew wild hereabouts. They run up to the summits of the trees, their clusters of grapes and their leaves covering the stems. I even saw some young oaks five or six fathoms high, whose tops were crowned with vines. The ground is that which is so common hereabouts, which I have already described, viz. a clay mixed with a great quantity of sand, and covered with a rich soil or vegetable earth. The vines are principally seen on trees which stand single in corn-fields, and at the end of woods, where the meadows, pastures, and fields begin, and likewise along the enclosures, where they cling with their tendrils round the trees which stand there. The lower parts of the plant are [[151]]full of grapes, which hang below the leaves, and were now almost ripe, and had a pleasant sourish taste. The country people gather them in great quantities, and sell them in the town. They are eaten without further preparation, and commonly people are presented with them when they come to pay a visit.

The soil does not seem to be deep hereabouts; for the upper black stratum is hardly two inches. This I had an occasion to see both in such places where the ground is dug up, and in such where the water, during heavy flowers of rain, has made cuts, which are pretty numerous here. The upper soil has a dark colour, and the next a pale colour like bricks. I have observed everywhere in America, that the depth of the upper soil does not by far agree with the computation of some people, though we can almost be sure, that in some places it never was stirred since the deluge. I shall be more particular in this respect afterwards.[26] [[152]]

The Datura Stramonium, or Thorn Apple, grows in great quantities near all the villages. Its height is different according to the soil it is in. For in a rich soil it [[153]]grows eight or ten feet high, but in a hard and poor ground, it will seldom come up to six inches. This Datura, together with the Phytolacca, or American Nightshade, grow here in those places near the gardens, [[154]]houses, and roads, which in Sweden are covered with nettles and goose-foot, which European plants are very scarce in America. But the Datura and Phytolacca are the worst weeds here, nobody knowing any particular use of them.