A Neighbour of mine rashly wandering out after some stray’d Cattle, lost his way, and coming as we conceived by his Relation near to the head spring of some of the branches of Black-point River or Saco-River, [p. 203.] light into a Tract of land for God knowes how many miles full of delfes and dingles, and dangerous precipices, Rocks and inextricable difficulties which did justly daunt, yea quite deter him from endeavouring to pass any further: many such like places are to be met with in New-England.
The ponds or lakes in this province are very large and many, out of which the great Rivers have their original; we read of the lake Balsena that is thirty miles about, here are that come very near to it, stored with all sorts of fresh water fish; and if you will believe report, in one of them huge fishes like Whales are to be seen, and some of them have fair Islands in them. Twelve mile from Casco-bay, and passable for men and horses, is a lake called by the Indians Sebug, on the brink thereof at one end is the famous Rock shap’d like a Moose-Deere or Helk, Diaphanous, and called the Moose-Rock. Here are found stones like Crystal, and Lapis Specularis or Muscovia glass both white and purple.
On the East-side of Black-point River, upon a plain, close to the Sea-bank is a pond two mile in compass, fish it produceth, but those very small and black, and a number of Frogs and Snakes, and much [p. 204.] frequented by wild-fowl, Ducks, Teal, and wild-Swins, and Geese, especially spring and fall when they pass along to the South-ward, and return again to the North-ward where they breed.
The principal Rivers in the province of Main, are Pascataway-River, York-River, Kenibunck-River, near to this River clay bullets were cast up by a mineral vapour, this River is by the Town of Wells. Then Saco-River on the East-side of the Town, the shore Rockie all along on both sides, where musick echoes from several places: seven miles up the River is a great fall where abundance of Salmon and Lamprons are taken at the fall; a great way up, the River runs upon the Rock, in rupibus defendendo efficit rivos, he cutteth out Rivers among the Rocks, saith Job, of the Almighty, Job 28. 10. A little above the fall is a saw-mill. Then Black-point-River divided into many branches; this as most of the Rivers in New-England, is bar’d with a bank of Sand, where the Indians take Sturgeon and Basse. Spur-winck-River is next, which by his near approach to Black-point-River maketh that neck of land almost an Island. Further East-ward is Kenebeck-river fifty leagues off of New-Plimouth East-ward, and Pechipscut famous [p. 205.] for multitudes of mighty large Sturgeon. The last river of the province East-ward is the great river Sagadehock where Sir John Pophams Colony seated themselves.
The chief harbours are Cape-porpus, Winter harbour, in which are some small Islands, Black-point, Richmans-Island, Casco-bay the largest in the province full of Islands.
From Sagadehock to Nova-Scotia is called the Duke of Yorkes province, here Pemmaquid, Montinicus, Mohegan, apeanawhagen, where Capt. Smith fisht for Whales; Muscataquid, all fill’d with dwelling houses and stages for fishermen, and have plenty of Cattle, arable land and marshes.
Nova Scotia was sold by the Lord Starling to the French, and is now wholly in their possession.
Now we are come to New-found-land, which is over against the gulf of St. Lawrence, an Island near as spacious as Ireland, and lyeth distant from the Continent as far as England is from the nearest part of France, and near half the way between Ireland and Virginia, its longitude is 334 degrees 20 seconds, and North latitude 46 degrees 30 minutes, or as others will 53 minutes. The longitude of places are uncertainly reported, but in latitudes most agree. [p. 206.] Longitude is the distance of the meridian of any place from the meridian which passeth over the Isles of Azores, where the beginning of longitude is said to be. The meridian is a great circle dividing the Equinoctial at right Angles into two equal parts, passing also through both the Poles, and the Zenith, to which circle the Sun coming twice every 24 hours, maketh the middle of the day, and the middle of the night. Every place hath a several meridian, but they all meet in the poles of the world. Latitude is counted from the Equinoctial to the end of 30 degrees on each side thereof. The Equinoctial is a great circle imagined in the Heavens, also dividing the heavens into two equal parts, and lying just in the middle betwixt the two poles, being in compass from West to East, 360 degrees, every degree thereof on the terrestrial Globe valuing 20 English miles, [leagues?] or 60 miles.
Into the Bay of St. Lawrence the River of St. Lawrence or Canada disimbogues it self, a River far exceeding any River in the elder world, thirty or forty mile over at the mouth, and in the Channel one hundred fathom deep; it runs on the back-side of New-England and Virginia: the French (it is said) have gone up six weeks voyage in it, and have not yet discovered the spring-head: the longitude is 334 degrees [p. 207.] 11 seconds, in 50 degrees 21 minutes of North latitude. This may satisfie a modest Reader, and I hope yield no offence to any. I shall onely speak a word or two of the people in the province of Main and the Dukes province, and so conclude.
The people in the province of Main may be divided into Magistrates, Husbandmen, or Planters, and fishermen; of the Magistrates some be Royalists, the rest perverse Spirits, the like are the planters and fishers, of which some be planters and fishers both, others meer fishers.