Turnep-fields are sometimes to be seen. In the middle of the highroad I perceived a dead black snake, which was four feet six inches long, and an inch and a half in thickness. It belonged to the viper kind.
Late at night a great Halo appeared round the moon. The people said that it prognosticated either a storm, or rain, or both together. The smaller the ring is, or the nearer it comes to the moon, the sooner this weather sets in. But this time neither of these changes happened, and the halo had foretold a coldness in the air.
I saw to-day the Chermes of the alder (Chermes Alni) in great abundance on the branches of that tree, which for that reason looks quite white, and at a distance appears as it were covered with mould.
October the 4th. I continued my journey early in the morning, and the country still had the same appearance as I went on. It was a continual chain of pretty high hills, with an easy ascent on all sides, and of [[155]]vallies between them. The soil consisted of a brick coloured mould, mixed with clay, and a few pebbles, I rode sometimes through woods of several sorts of trees, and sometimes amidst little fields, which had been cleared of the wood, and which at present were corn-fields, meadows, and pastures. The farm-houses stood single, sometimes near the roads, and sometimes at a little distance from them, so that the space between the road and the houses was taken up with little fields and meadows. Some of the houses were built of stone, two stories high, and covered with shingles of the white cedar. But most of the houses were wooden, and the crevices stopped up with clay, instead of moss, which we make use of for that purpose. No valves were to be met with in the chimneys, and the people even did not know what I meant by them. The ovens were commonly built up at some distance from the houses, and were either under a roof, or without any covering against the weather. The fields bore partly buck-wheat, which was not yet cut, partly maize, and partly wheat, which was but lately sown; but sometimes they lay fallow. The vines climbed to the top of several trees, and hung down again on both sides. Other trees again were surrounded by the ivy (Hedera quinquefolia) which [[156]]with the same flexibility ascended to a great height. The Smilax laurifolia always joined with the ivy, and together with it twisted itself round the trees. The leaves of the ivy were at this time commonly reddish, but those of the vine were still quite green. The trees which were surrounded with them, looked at a distance like those which are covered with hops in our country, (and on seeing them from afar off, one might expect to find wild hops climbing upon the trees.) Walnut and chesnut trees were common near enclosures, in woods, and on hills, and at present were loaded with their fruit. The persimon was likewise plentiful near the roads, and in the woods. It had a great quantity of fruit, but they were not yet fit for eating, since the frost had not softened them. At some distance from Wilmington, I passed a bridge over a little river, which falls north into the Delaware. The rider pays here twopence toll for himself and his horse.
Towards noon I arrived at Wilmington.
Wilmington is a little town, about thirty English miles south-west from Philadelphia. It was founded in the year 1733. Part of it stands upon the grounds belonging to the Swedish church, which annually receives certain rents, out of which they [[157]]pay the minister’s salary, and employ the rest for other uses. The houses are built of stone, and look very pretty; yet they are not built close together, but large open places are left between them. The quakers have a meeting-house in this town. The Swedish church, which I intend to mention in the sequel, is half a mile out of town eastwards. The parsonage is under the same roof with the church. A little river called Christina-kill passes by the town, and from thence falls into the Delaware. By following its banks one goes three miles before one reaches the Delaware. The river is said to be sufficiently deep, so that the greatest vessel may come quite up to the town: for at its mouth or juncture with the Delaware, it is shallowest, and yet its depth even there when the water is lowest, is from two fathoms to two and a half. But as you go higher its depth encreases to three, three and a half, and even four fathoms. The largest ships therefore may safely, and with their full cargoes come to, and from the town with the tide. from Wilmington, you have a fine prospect of a great part of the river Delaware, and the ships sailing on it. On both sides of the river Christina-kill, almost from the place where the redoubt is built to its juncture with the Delaware, are low meadows, which afford a great quantity of hay [[158]]to the inhabitants. The town carries on a considerable trade, and would have been more enlarged, if Philadelphia and Newcastle, which are both towns of a more ancient date, were not so near on both sides of it.
The Redoubt upon the river Christina-kill, was erected this summer, when it was known that the French and Spanish privateers intended to sail up the river, and to attempt a landing. It stands, according to the accounts of the late Rev. Mr. Tranberg, on the same spot, where the Swedes had built theirs. It is remarkable, that on working in the ground this summer, to make this redoubt, an old Swedish silver coin of Queen Christina, not quite so big as a shilling was found at the depth of a yard, among some other things. The Rev. Mr. Tranberg afterwards presented me with it. On one side were the arms of the house of Wasa with the inscription: CHRISTINA, D. G. DE. RE. SVE. that is, Christina, by the grace of God, elected Queen of Sweden; and near this the year of our Lord 1633. On the reverse were these words: MONETA NOVA REGNI SVEC. or, a new coin of the kingdom of Sweden. At the same time a number of old iron tools, such as axes, shovels, and the like, were discovered. The redoubt, that is now erected, consists [[159]]of bulwarks of planks, with a rampart on the outside. Near it is the powder magazine, in a vault built of bricks. At the erection of this little fortification it was remarkable, that the quakers, whose tenets reject even defensive war, were as busy as the other people in building it. For the fear of being every moment suddenly attacked by privateers, conquered all other thoughts. Many of them scrupled to put their own hands to the work; but forwarded, it by supplies of money, and by getting ready every thing, which was necessary.
October the 5th. It was my design to cross the Delaware, and to get into New Jersey with a view to get acquainted with the country; but as there was no ferry here to bring my horse over, I set out on my return to Philadelphia. I partly went along the high road, and partly deviated on one or the other side of it, in order to take more exact observations of the country, and of its natural history.
The maize, was sown in several places. In some its stalks were cut somewhat below the ear, dried and put up in narrow high stacks, in order to keep them as a food for the cattle in winter. The lower part of the stalk had likewise leaves, but as they commonly dry of themselves, the people do not like to [[160]]feed the cattle with them, all their flavour being lost: But the upper ones are cut, whilst they are yet green.
The vallies between the hills commonly contain brooks: but they are not very broad, and require no bridges, so that carriages and horse can easily pass through them, for the water is seldom above six inches deep.