The other Towns of note in this Colony are Green-Harbour to the Eastward of Plimouth towards the point of the Cape, & therefore somewhat unaccessible by land, here is excellent Timber for shipping; then Marshfield, Yarmouth, Rehoboth, Bridgwater, Warwick, Taunton, Eastham, by the Indians called Namset.
The first Town Northeast from Green-harbor is Sittuate in the jurisdiction of the Mattachusets-Colony, more Northward of Sittuate is Conchusset and Hull a little Burg lying open to the Sea, from thence we came to Merton-point over against which is Pullin-point. Upon Merton-point (which is on the Larboard-side) is a Town called Nantascot, which is two Leagues from Boston, where [p. 159.] Ships commonly cast Anchor. Pullin-point is so called, because the Boats are by the seasing or Roads haled against the Tide which is very strong, it is the usual Channel for Boats to pass into Mattachusets-Bay.
There is an Island on the South-side of the passage containing eight Acres of ground. Upon a rising hill within this Island is mounted a Castle commanding the entrance, no stately Edifice, nor strong; built with Brick and Stone, kept by a Captain, under whom is a master-Gunner and others.
The Bay is large, made by many Islands, the chief Deere-Island, which is within a flight shot of Pullin-point, great store of Deere were wont to swim thither from the Main; then Bird-Island, Glass-island, Slate-Island, the Governours Garden, where the first Apple-Trees in the Countrey were planted, and a vinyard; then Round-Island, and Noddles-Island not far from Charles-Town: most of these Islands lye on the North-side of the Bay.
The next Town to Nantascot on the South-side of the Bay is Wissaguset a small Village, about three miles from Mount-wolleston, about this Town the soil is very fertile.
Within sight of this is Mount-wolleston or Merry-mount, called Massachusets-fields, [p. 160.] where Chicatabat the greatest Sagamore of the Countrey lived before the plague: here the Town of Braintree is seated, no Boat nor Ship can come near to it, here is an Iron mill: to the West of this Town is Naponset River.
Six miles beyond Braintree lyeth Dorchester, a frontire Town pleasantly seated, and of large extent into the main land, well watered with two small Rivers, her body and wings filled somewhat thick with houses to the number of two hundred and more, beautified with fair Orchards and Gardens, having also plenty of Corn-land, and store of Cattle, counted the greatest Town heretofore in New-England, but now gives way to Boston, it hath a Harbour to the North for Ships.
A mile from Dorchester is the Town of Roxbury, a fair and handsome Countrey Town, the streets large, the Inhabitants rich, replenished with Orchards and Gardens, well watered with springs and small freshets, a brook runs through it called Smelt-River, a quarter of a mile to the North-side of the Town runs stony River: it is seated in the bottom of a shallow Bay, but hath no harbour for shipping. Boats come to it, it hath store of Land and Cattle.
Two miles Northeast from Roxbury, and [p. 161.] Forty miles from New-Plimouth, in the latitude of 42 or 43 degrees and 10 minutes, in the bottom of Massachusets-Bay is Boston (whose longitude is 315 degrees, or as others will 322 degrees and 30 seconds.) So called from a Town in Lincolnshire, which in the Saxons time bare the name of St. Botolph, and is the Metropolis of this Colony, or rather of the whole Countrey, situated upon a Peninsula, about four miles in compass, almost square, and invironed with the Sea, saving one small Isthmus which gives access to other Towns by land on the South-side. The Town hath two hills of equal height on the frontire part thereof next the Sea, the one well fortified on the superficies with some Artillery mounted, commanding any Ship as she sails into the Harbour within the still Bay; the other hill hath a very strong battery built of whole Timber and fill’d with earth, at the descent of the hill in the extreamest part thereof, betwixt these two strong Arms, lyes a large Cove or Bay, on which the chiefest part of the Town is built to the Northwest is a high mountain that out-tops all, with its three little rising hills on the summit, called Tramount, this is furnished with a Beacon and great Guns, from hence you may [p. 162.] overlook all the Islands in the Bay, and descry such Ships as are upon the Coast: the houses are for the most part raised on the Sea-banks and wharfed out with great industry and cost, many of them standing upon piles, close together on each side the streets as in London, and furnished with many fair shops, their materials are Brick, Stone, Lime, handsomely contrived, with three meeting Houses or Churches, and a Town-house built upon pillars where the Merchants may confer, in the Chambers above they keep their monethly Courts. Their streets are many and large, paved with pebble stone, and the South-side adorned with Gardens and Orchards. The Town is rich and very populous, much frequented by strangers, here is the dwelling of their Governour. On the North-west and North-east two constant Fairs are kept for daily Traffick thereunto. On the South there is a small, but pleasant Common where the Gallants a little before Sun-set walk with their Marmalet-Madams, as we do in Morefields, &c. till the nine a clock Bell rings them home to their respective habitations, when presently the Constables walk their rounds to see good orders kept, and to take up loose people. Two miles from the town, [p. 163.] at a place called Muddy-River, the Inhabitants have Farms, to which belong rich arable grounds and meadows where they keep their Cattle in the Summer, and bring them to Boston in the Winter; the Harbour before the Town is filled with Ships and other Vessels for most part of the year.
Hingham is a Town situated upon the Sea-coasts, South-east of Charles-River: here is great store of Timber, deal-boards, masts for Ships, white-Cedar, and fish is here to be had.