The winter is much more severe here, than in Pensylvania; it being nearly as cold as in some of the provinces of Sweden: its continuance however is much shorter than with us: their spring is very early and their autumn very late, and the heat in summer is excessive. For this reason, the melons sown in the fields are ripe at the beginning [[267]]of August; whereas we can hardly bring them so soon to maturity under glasses and on hot beds. The cold of the winter, I cannot justly determine, as the meteorological observations which were communicated to me, were all calculated after thermometers, which were so placed in the houses, that the air could not freely come at them. The snow lies for some months together upon the ground; and sledges are made use of here as in Sweden, but they are rather too bulky. The river Hudson is about an English mile and a half broad at its mouth: the difference between the highest flood and the lowest ebb is between six and seven feet, and the water is very brackish: yet the ice stands in it not only one but even several months: it has sometimes a thickness of more than two feet.
The inhabitants are sometimes greatly troubled with Musquitoes. They either follow the hay which is made near the town, in the low meadows which are quite penetrated with salt water; or they accompany the cattle at night when it is brought home. I have myself experienced, and have observed in others, how much these little animalcules can disfigure a person’s face during a single night; for the skin is sometimes [[268]]so covered over with little blisters from their stings, that people are ashamed to appear in public. The water melons which are cultivated near the town grow very large: they are extremely delicious, and are better than in other parts of North America; though they are planted in the open fields and never in a hot-bed. I saw a water melon at Governor Clinton’s in September 1750, which weighed forty seven English pounds, and at a merchant’s in town another of forty two pounds weight: however they were reckoned the biggest ever seen in this country.
In the year 1710, five kings, or Sachems of the Iroquois went from hence to England, in order to engage Queen Anne to make an alliance with them against the French. Their names, dress, reception at court, speeches to the Queen, opinion of England and of the European manners, and several other particulars about them are sufficiently known from other writings; it would therefore be here unnecessary to enlarge about them. The kings or Sachems of the Indians, have commonly no greater authority over their subjects than constables in a meeting of the inhabitants of a parish, and hardly so much. On my travels through the country of these Indians, I had never any [[269]]occasion to go and wait upon the Sachems; for they always came into my habitation without being asked: these visits they commonly paid in order to get a glass or two of brandy, which they value above any thing they know. One of the five Sachems mentioned above, died in England; the others returned safe.
The first colonists in New York were Dutchmen: when the town and its territories were taken by the English, and left them by the next peace in exchange for Surinam, the old inhabitants were allowed either to remain at New York, and to enjoy all the privileges and immunities which they were possessed of before, or to leave the place with all their goods: most of them chose the former; and therefore the inhabitants both of the town and of the province belonging to it, are yet for the greatest part Dutchmen; who still, especially the old people, speak their mother tongue.
They begin however by degrees to change their manners and opinions; chiefly indeed in the town and in its neighbourhood: for most of the young people now speak principally English, and go only to the English church; and would even take it amiss, if they were called Dutchmen and not Englishmen. [[270]]
Though the province of New York has been inhabited by Europeans, much longer than Pensylvania, yet it is not by far so populous as that colony. This cannot be ascribed to any particular discouragement arising from the nature of the soil; for that is pretty good: but I was told of a very different reason, which I will mention here. In the reign of Queen Anne about the year 1709, many Germans came hither, who got a tract of land from the government on which they might settle. After they had lived there for some time, and had built houses and churches, and made corn-fields and meadows, their liberties and privileges were infringed, and under several pretences they were repeatedly deprived of parts of their land. This at last rouzed the Germans; they returned violence for violence, and beat those who thus robbed them of their possessions. But these proceedings were looked upon in a very bad light by the government: the most active people among the Germans being taken up, they were very roughly treated, and punished with the utmost rigour of the law. This however so far exasperated the rest, that the greater part of them left their houses and fields, and went to settle in Pensylvania: there they were exceedingly well received, got a considerable tract of land, [[271]]and were indulged in great privileges which were given them forever. The Germans not satisfied with being themselves removed from New York, wrote to their relations and friends and advised them, if ever they intended to come to America, not to go to New York, where the government had shewn itself so unequitable. This advice had such influence, that the Germans, who afterwards went in great numbers to North America, constantly avoided New York and always went to Pensylvania. It sometimes happened that they were forced to go on board such ships as were bound to New York; but they were scarce got on shore, when they hastened on to Pensylvania in sight of all the inhabitants of New York.
But the want of people in this province may likewise be accounted for in a different manner. As the Dutch, who first cultivated this country, obtained the liberty of staying here by the treaty with England, and of enjoying all their privileges and advantages without the least limitation, each of them took a very large piece of ground for himself, and many of the more powerful heads of families made themselves the possessors and masters of a country of as great an extent as would be sufficient to form a middling and even a great parish. Most [[272]]of them being very rich, their envy of the English led them not to sell them any land, but at an excessive rate; a practice which is still punctually observed among their descendants. The English therefore as well as people of different nations, have little encouragement to settle here. On the other hand they have sufficient opportunity in the other provinces, to purchase land at a more moderate price, and with more security to themselves. It is not then to be wondered, that so many parts of New York are still uncultivated, and have entirely the appearance of desarts. This instance may teach us how much a small mistake in a government will injure population.
November the 3d. About noon we set out from New York on our return, and continuing our journey, we arrived at Philadelphia on the fifth of November.
In the neighbourhood of this capital (of Pensylvania) the people had a month ago made their cyder, which they were obliged to do, because their apples were so ripe as to drop from the trees. But on our journey through New York we observed the people still employed in pressing out the cyder. This is a plain proof that in Pensylvania the apples are sooner ripe than in New York; but whether this be owing to the [[273]]nature of the soil, or a greater heat of the summer in Philadelphia, or to some other cause I know not. However there is not the least advantage in making cyder so early: for long experience had taught the husbandmen that it is worse for being made early in the year; the great heat in the beginning of autumn being said to hinder the fermentation of the juice. [[272]]
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