The land affordeth the inhabitants as many rarities as any place else, and the sea more: the Basse continuing from the middle of Aprill to Michaelmas, which stayes not above half that time in the Bay: besides here is a great deale of Rock-cod and Macrill, insomuch that shoales of Basse have driven up shoales of Macrill from one end of the sandie beach to the other, which the inhabitants have gathered up in wheel-barrowes. The Bay that lyeth before the Towne at a low spring tyde, will be all flatts for two miles together, upon which is great store of Musclebanckes, and Clam bancks, and Lobsters amongst the rockes and grassie holes. These flatts make it unnavigable for shippes, yet at high water great Boates, Loiters, and Pinnaces of 20, and 30 tun, may saile up to the plantation, but they neede have a skilfull Pilote, because of many dangerous rockes and foaming breakers, that lye at the mouth of that Bay. The very aspect of the place is fortification enough to keepe off an unknowne enemie, yet may it be fortified at a little charge, being but few landing places there about, and those obscure. Foure miles Northeast from Saugus lyeth Salem, which stands on the middle of a necke of land very pleasantly, having a South river on the one side, and a North river on the other side: upon this necke where the most of the houses stand is very bad and sandie ground, yet for seaven yeares together it hath brought forth exceeding good corne, by being fished but every third yeare; in some places is very good ground, and very good timber, and divers springs hard by the sea side. Here likewise is store of fish, as Basses, Eeles, Lobsters, Clammes, &c. Although their land be none of the best, yet beyond those rivers is a very good soyle, where they have taken farmes, and get their Hay, and plant their corne; there they crosse these rivers with small Cannowes, which are made of whole pine trees, being about two foot & a half over, and 20. foote long: in these likewise they goe a fowling, sometimes two leagues to sea; there be more Cannowes in this towne than in all the whole Patent; every houshould having a water-house or two. This Towne wants an Alewife river, which is a great inconvenience; it hath two good harbours, the one being called Winter, and the other Summer harbour, which lyeth within Derbies Fort, which place if it were well fortified, might keepe shippes from landing of forces in any of those two places. Marvill Head is a place which lyeth 4 miles full South from Salem, and is a very convenient place for a plantation, especially for such as will set upon the trade of fishing. There was made here a ships loading of fish the last yeare, where still stands the stages, and drying scaffolds; here be good harbour for boates, and safe riding for shippes. Agowamme is nine miles to the North from Salem, which is one of the most spatious places for a plantation, being neare the sea, it aboundeth with fish, and flesh of fowles and beasts, great Meads and Marshes and plaine plowing grounds, many good rivers and harbours and no rattle snakes. In a word, it is the best place but one, which is Merrimacke, lying 8 miles beyond it, where is a river 20 leagues navigable, all along the river side is fresh Marshes, in somes places 3 miles broad. In this river is Sturgeon, Sammon, and Basse, and divers other kinds of fish. To conclude, the Countrie hath not that which this place cannot yeeld. So that these two places may containe twice as many people as are yet in new England: there being as yet scarce any inhabitants in these two spacious places. Three miles beyond the river of Merrimacke is the outside of our Patent for the Massachusetts Bay. These be all the Townes that were begun, when I came for England, which was the 15 of August 1633.
Chap. XI.
Of the evills, and such things as are hurtfull in the Plantation.
I have informed you of the Country in generall and of every plantation in particular, with their commodities and wherein one excelleth another. Now that I may be every way faithfull to my reader in this worke, I will as fully and truely relate to you what is evill, and of most annoyance to the inhabitants. First: those which bring most prejudice to their estates are the ravenous Woolves, which destroy the weaker Cattell, but of these you have heard before: that which is most injurious to the person and life of man is a rattle snake which is generally a yard and a halfe long, as thicke in the middle as the small of a mans legge, she hath a yellow belly, her backe being spotted with blacke, russet, yellow, and greene colours, placed like scales; at her taile is a rattle, with which she makes a noyse when she is molested, or when she seeth any approach neere her, her necke seemes to be no thicker than a mans thumbe yet can she swallow a Squerill, having a great wide mouth, with teeth as sharpe as needles, wherewith she biteth such as tread upon her: her poyson lyeth in her teeth, for she hath no sting. When any man is bitten by any of these creatures, the poyson spreads so suddenly through the veines & so runs to the heart, that in one houre it causeth death, unlesse he hath the Antidote to expell the poyson, which is a root called snakeweed, which must be champed, the spittle swallowed, and the root applyed to the sore; this is present cure against that which would be present death without it: this weede is ranck poyson, if it be taken by any man that is not bitten: whosoever is bitten by these snakes his flesh becomes as spotted as a Leaper until hee be perfectly cured. It is reported that if the party live that is bitten, the snake will dye, and if the partie die, the snake will live. This is a most poysonous and dangerous creature, yet nothing so bad as the report goes of him in England. For whereas he is sayd to kill a man with his breath, and that he can flye, there is no such matter, for he is naturally the most sleepie and unnimble creature that lives, never offering to leape or bite any man, if he be not troden on first, and it is their desire in hot weather to lye in pathes, where the sunne may shine on them, where they will sleepe so soundly that I have knowne foure men stride over one of them, and never awake her; 5 or 6 men have beene bitten by them, which by using of snake weede were all cured, never any yet losing his life by them. Cowes have beene bitten, but being cut in divers places, and this weede thrust into their flesh were cured. I never heard of any beast that was yet lost by any of them, saving one Mare. A small switch will easily kill one of these snakes. In many places of the Countrie there bee none of them, as at Plimouth, Newtowne, Igowamme, Nahant, &c. In some places they will live on one side of the river, and swimming but over the water, as soone as they be come into the woods, they turne up their yellow bellies and dye. Vp into the Countrey westward from the plantations is a high hill, which is called rattlesnake hill, where there is great store of these poysonous creatures. There be divers other kinde of snakes, one whereof is a great long blacke snake, two yards in length which will glide through the woods very swiftly; these never doe any hurt, neither doth any other kinde of snakes molest either man or beast. These creatures in the winter time creepe into clifts of rockes and into holes under ground, where they lie close till May or Iune. Here likewise bee great store of frogs, which in the Spring doe chirpe and whistle like a bird, and at the latter end of summer croake like our English frogges. Heere be also toades which will climbe the topes of high trees where they will sit croaking, to the wonderment of such as are not acquainted with them. I never saw any Wormes or Moles, but pismires and spiders be there. There are likewise troublesome flies. First there is a wilde Bee or Waspe, which commonly guards the grape, building her cobweb habitation amongst the leaves: secondly a great greene flye, not much unlike our horse flyes in England; they will nippe so sore that they wil fetch blood either of man or beast, and be most troublesome where most Cattle be, which brings them from out of the woods to the houses; this flye continues but for the Moneth of Iune. The third is a Gurnipper which is a small blacke fly no bigger than a flea; her biting causeth an itching upon the hands or face, which provoketh scratching which is troublesome to some; this fly is busie but in close mornings or evenings, and continues not above three weekes, the least winde or heate expells them. The fourth is a Musketoe which is not unlike to our gnats in England; In places where there is no thicke woods or Swampes, there is none or very few. In new Plantations they be troublesome for the first yeare, but the wood decaying they vanish: these Flies cannot endure winde, heate or cold, so that these are onely troublesome in close thicke weather, and against raine many that be bitten will fall a scratching, whereupon their faces and hands swell. Others are never troubled with them at all: those likewise that swell with their biting the first yeare, never swell the second: for my owne part I have bin troubled as much with them or some like them, in the Fen country of England as ever I was there: Here be the flies that are called Chantharides, so much esteemed of Chirurgions, with divers kinds of Butterflies. Thus have you heard of the worst of the countrey: but some peradventure may say no, and reply that they have heard that the people have beene often driven to great wants and extremities; To which I answer, it is true that some have lived for a certaine time with a little bread, other without any, yet all this argues nothing against the countrey in it selfe, but condemnes the folly and improvidence of such as would venture into so rude and unmanaged a countrey, without so much provisions as should have comfortably maintained them in health and strength till by their labours they had brought the land to yeeld his fruite. I have my selfe heard some say that they heard it was a rich land, a brave country, but when they came there they could see nothing but a few Canvis Boothes & old houses, supposing at the first to have found walled townes, fortifications and corne fields, as if townes could have built themselves, or corne fields have growne of themselves, without the husbandrie of man. These men missing of their expectations, returned home and railed against the Country. Others may object that of late time there hath beene great want; I denie it not, but looke to the originall, and tell me from whence it came. The roote of their want sprung up in England, for many hundreds hearing of the plenty of the Country, were so much their owne foes and Countries hindrance, as to come without provision; which made things both deare and scant: wherefore let none blame the Country so much as condemne the indiscreetnesse of such as will needs runne themselves upon hardship. And I dare further assure any that will carrie provision enough for a yeare and a halfe, shall not neede to feare want, if he either be industrious himselfe, or have industrious agents to mannage his estate and affaires. And whereas many doe disparrage the land saying a man cannot live without labour, in that they more disparage and discredit themselves, in giving the world occasion to take notice of their droanish disposition, that would live of the sweate of another mans browes: surely they were much deceived, or else ill informed, that ventured thither in hope to live in plenty and idlenesse, both at a time: and it is as much pitty as he that can worke and will not, should eate, as it is pitty that he that would worke and cannot, should fast. I condemne not such therefore as are now there, and are not able to worke; but I advise for the future those men that are of weake constitutions to keepe at home, if their estates cannot maintaine servants. For all new England must be workers in some kinde: and whereas it hath beene formerly reported that boyes of tenne or a twelve yeares of age might doe much more than get their living, that cannot be, for he must have more than a boyes head, and no lesse than a mans strength, that intends to live comfortably; and hee that hath understanding and Industrie, with a stocke of an hundered pound, shall live better there, than he shall doe here of twenty pound per annum. But many I know will say if it be thus, how comes it to passe then that they are so poore? To which I answere, that they are poore but in comparison, compare them with the rich Merchants or great landed men in England, and then I know they will seeme poore. There is no probability they should be exceeding rich, because none of such great estate went over yet; besides, a man of estate must first scatter before he gather, he must lay out monies for transporting of servants, and cattle and goods, for houses and fences and gardens, &c. This may make his purse seeme light, and to the eye of others seeme a leaking in his estate, whereas these disbursments are for his future enrichments: for he being once well seated and quietly setled, his increase comes in double; and howsoever they are accounted poore, they are well contented, and looke not so much at abundance, as a competencie; so little is the poverty of the Country, that I am perswaded if many in England which are constrained to begge their bread were there, they would live better than many doe here, that have money to buy it. Furthermore when corne is scarse, yet may they have either fish or flesh for their labour: and surely that place is not miserably poore to them that are there, where foure Egges may be had for a Penny, and a quart of new Milke at the same rate: Where Butter is sixe-pence a pound, and Cheshire-Cheese at five pence; sure Middlesex affords London no better penny-worths. What though there be no such plenty, as to cry these things in the streetes? yet every day affords these penny-worths to those that neede them in most places. I dare not say in all: Can they be very poore, where for foure thousand soules, there are fifteene hundred head of Cattle, besides foure thousand Goates, and Swine innumerable? In an ill sheepe-yeare I have knowne Mutton as deere in Old-England, and deerer than Goates-flesh is in New-England, which is altogether as good if fancy be set aside.
Chap. XII.
What provision is to be made for a Iourney at Sea, and what to carry with us for our use at Land.
Many peradventure at the looking over of these relations, may have inclinations or resolution for the Voyage, to whom I wish all prosperity in their undertakings; although I will use no forcive arguments to perswade any, but leave them to the relation; yet by way of advice, I would commend to them a few lines from the Pen of experience. And because the way to New England is over Sea, it will not be amisse to give you directions, what is most necessary to bee carried. Many I suppose, know as well, or better than my selfe; yet all doe not, to those my directions tend; although every man have ship-provisions allowed him for his five pound a man, which is salt Beefe, Porke, salt Fish, Butter, Cheese, Pease, Pottage, Water-grewell, and such kinde of Victuals, with good Biskets, and sixe-shilling Beere: yet will it be necessary, to carry some comfortable refreshing of fresh victuall. As first, for such as have ability, some Conserves, and good Clarret Wine to burne at Sea: Or you may have it by some of your Vintners or Wine-Coopers burned here, & put up into vessels, which will keepe much better than other burnt Wine, it is a very comfortable thing for the stomacke; or such as are Sea-sicke: Sallet-oyle likewise. Prunes are good to be stewed; Sugar for many things: White Biskets, and Egs, and Bacon, Rice, Poultry, and some weather-sheepe to kill aboard the ship; and fine flowre-baked meates, will keepe about a weeke or nine dayes at Sea. Iuyce of Lemons well put up, is good either to prevent or cure the Scurvy. Here it must not be forgotten to carry small Skillets, or Pipkins, and small frying-panns, to dresse their victuals in at Sea. For bedding, so it be easie, and cleanely, and warme, it is no matter how old or coarse it be for the use of the Sea; and so likewise for Apparrell, the oldest cloathes be the fittest, with a long coarse coate, to keepe better things from the pitched ropes and plankes. Whosoever shall put to Sea in a stoute and well-conditioned ship, having an honest Master, and loving Sea-men, shall not neede to feare, but he shall finde as good content at Sea, as at Land.
It is too common with many to feare the Sea more than they neede, and all such as put to Sea, confesse it to be lesse tedious than they either feared or expected. A ship at Sea may well be compared to a Cradle, rocked by a carefull Mothers hand, which though it be moved up and downe, yet is it not in danger of falling: So a ship may often be rocked too and againe upon the troublesome Sea, yet seldome doth it sinke or over-turne, because it is kept by that carefull hand of Providence by which it is rocked. It was never knowne yet, that any ship in that voyage was cast away, or that ever fell into the Enemies hand.
For the health of Passengers it hath beene observed, that of sixe hundred soules, not above three or foure haue dyed at Sea: It is probable in such a company, more might have dyed either by sicknesse or casualities, if they had stayed at home. For Women, I see not but that they doe as well as men, and young Children as well as either; having their healths as well at Sea as at Land: Many likewise which have come with such foule bodies to Sea, as did make their dayes uncomfortable at Land, have beene so purged and clarified at Sea, that they have beene more healthfull for after-times; their weake appetites being turned to good stomackes, not onely desiring, but likewise disgesting such victuals as the Sea affords. Secondly, for directions for the Countrey, it is not to be feared, but that men of good estates may doe well there; alwayes provided, that they goe well accommodated with servants. In which I would not wish them to take over-many: tenne or twelve lusty servants being able to mannage an estate of two or three thousand pound. It is not the multiplicity of many bad servants, (which presently eates a man out of house and harbour, as lamentable experience hath made manifest) but the industry of the faithfull and diligent labourer, that enricheth the carefull Master; so that he that hath many dronish servants, shall soone be poore; and he that hath an industrious family, shall as soone be rich.
Now for the incouragement of his men, he must not doe as many have done, (more through ignorance than desire) carry many mouthes, and no meate; but rather much meate for a few mouthes. Want of due maintenance produceth nothing but a grumbling spirit with a sluggish idlenesse, when as those servants which be well provided for, goe thorough their imployments with speede and cheerefulnesse. For meale, it will be requisite to carry a Hogshead and a halfe, for every one that is a labourer, to keepe him till hee may receive the fruite of his owne labours, which will be a yeare and a halfe after his arrivall, if hee land in May or Iune. He must likewise carry Malt, Beefe, Butter, Cheese, some Pease, good Wines, Vinegar, Strong-waters, &c. Whosoever transports more of these than he himselfe useth, his over-plus being sold, will yeeld as much profit as any other staple commodity. Euery man likewise must carry over good store of Apparrell; for if he come to buy it there, he shall finde it dearer than in England. Woollen-cloth is a very good comodity, and Linnen better; as Holland, Lockram, flaxen, Hempen, Callico stuffes, Linsey-woolsies, and blew Callicoe, greene Sayes for Housewives aprons, Hats, Bootes, Shooes, good Irish stockings, which if they be good, are much more serviceable than knit-ones. All kind of grocery wares, as Sugar, Prunes, Raisons, Currants, Honey, Nutmegs, Cloves, &c. Sope, Candles, and Lamps, &c. All manner of household-stuffe is very good Trade there, as Pewter and Brasse, but great Iron-pots be preferred before Brasse, for the use of that Country. Warming-pannes and Stewing-pannes bee of necessary use, and good Trafficke there. All manner of Iron-wares, as all manner of nailes for houses, and all manner of Spikes for building of Boates, Ships, and fishing stages: all manner of tooles for Workemen, Hoes for planters, broad and narrow for setting and weeding; with Axes both broad and pitching-axes. All manner of Augers, piercing bits, Whip-saws, Two-handed saws, Froes, both for the riving of Pailes and Laths, rings for Beetles heads, and Iron-wedges; though all these be made in the Countrey: (there being divers Blacke-smiths) yet being a heavy commodity, and taking but a little stoage, it is cheaper to carry such commodities out of England. Glasse ought not to be forgotten of any that desire to benefit themselves, or the Countrey: if it be well leaded, and carefully pack't up, I know no commodity better for portage or sayle. Here likewise must not be forgotten all Vtensils for the Sea, as Barbels, splitting-knives, Leads, and Cod-hookes, and Lines, Machrill-hooks and lines, Sharke-hookes, Seanes, or Basse nets, large and strong, Herring-nets, &c. Such as would eate Fowle, must not forget their sixe-foote Gunnes, their good Powder and shot, of all sorts; a great round shot called Bastable-shot, is the best; being made of a blacker Lead than ordinary shot: Furthermore, good Pooldavies to make sayles for Boates, Roads, and Anchors for Boates and Pinnaces, be good; Sea-coale, Iron, Lead, and Mil-stones, Flints, Ordonances, and whatsoever a man can conceive is good for the Countrey, that will lie as Ballast, he cannot be a loser by it. And lest I should forget a thing of so great importance, no man must neglect to provide for himselfe, or those belonging to him, his munition for the defence of himselfe and the Countrey. For there is no man there that beares a head, but that beares military Armes: even Boyes of fourteene yeares of age, are practised with men in militarie discipline, every three weeks. Whosoever shall carrie over Drummes and English Colours, Pattesons, Halberds, Pickes, Muskets, Bandelerous, with Swords, shall not neede to feare good gaine for them, such things being wanting in the country: Likewise whatsoever shall be needefull for fortifications of holds and Castles, whereby the common enemy may be kept out in future times, is much desired. They as yet have had no great cause to feare; but because securitie hath beene the overthrow of many a new plantation, it is their care according to their abilities, to secure themselves by fortifications, as well as they can: Thus having shewed what commodities are most usefull, it will not be amisse to shew you what men be most fit for these plantations.