It is already known from several accounts of voyages, that to the northward neither trees nor bushes, nor any ligneous plants are to be met with, fit for burning. But is it not probable that the inhabitants of so desolate a country, like other northern nations which we know, burn the train oil of fishes, and the fat of animals in lamps, in order to boil their meat, to warm their subterraneous caves in winter, and to light them in the darkest season of the year? else their darkness would be insupportable.
November the 11th. In several writings we read of a large animal, which is to be met with in New England and other parts of North America. They sometimes dig very long and branched horns out of the ground in Ireland, and no body in that country or any where else in the world, knows an animal that has such horns. This has induced many people to believe that it is the Moose-deer so famous in North America, and that the horns found, were of animals of this kind, which had formerly lived in that island, but were gradually destroyed. It has even been concluded, that Ireland, in distant ages either was connected with North America, or that a number [[297]]of little islands, which are lost at present, made a chain between them. This led me to enquire, whether an animal with such excessive great horns, as are ascribed to the Moose-deer, had ever been seen in any part of this country. Mr. Bartram told me, that notwithstanding he had carefully enquired to that purpose, yet there was no person who could give him any information, which could be relied upon, and therefore he was entirely of opinion, that there was no such an animal in North America. Mr. Franklin related that he had, when a boy, seen two of the animals which they call Moose-deer, but he well remembered that they were not near of such a size as they must have been, if the horns found in Ireland were to fit them: the two animals which he saw, were brought to Boston in order to be sent to England to Queen Ann. The height of the animal up to the back was that of a pretty tall horse; but the head and its horns were still higher: Mr. Dudley has given a description of the Moose-deer which is found in North America. On my travels in Canada, I often enquired of the Frenchmen, whether there had ever been seen so large an animal in this country, as some people say there is in North America; and with such great [[298]]horns as are sometimes dug out in Ireland. But I was always told, that they had never heard of it, and much less seen it: some added, that if there was such an animal, they certainly must have met with it, in some of their excursions in the woods. There are elks here, which are either of the same sort with the Swedish ones, or a variety of them: of these they often catch some which are larger than common, whence perhaps the report of the very large animal with excessive horns in North America first had its rise. These elks are called Original’s by the French in Canada, which name they have borrowed from the Indians: perhaps Dudley, in describing the Moose-deer, meant no other animals, than these large elks.[46]
Mr. Franklin gave me a piece of a stone, which on account of its indestructibility in the fire, is made use of in New England for making melting furnaces and forges. [[299]]
It consists of a mixture of Lapis Ollaris or Serpentine stone, and of Asbest. The greatest part of it is a grey Serpentine stone, which is fat and smooth to the touch, and is easily cut and worked. Here and there are some glittering speckles of that sort of asbest, whose fibres come from a center like rays, or Star Asbest. This stone is not found in strata or solid rocks, but here and there scattered on the fields.
Another stone is called Soapstone by many of the Swedes, being as smooth as soap on the outside. They make use of it for rubbing spots out of their cloaths. It might be called Saxum talcosum particulus spataceis, granatisque immixtis, or a talc with mixed particles of spar and garnets. A more exact description I reserve for another work. At present I only add that the ground colour is pale green, with some dark spots, and sometimes a few of a greenish hue. It is very smooth to the touch, and runs always waved. It is likewise easily sawed and cut, though it is not very smooth. I have seen large stones of it, which were a fathom and more long, proportionably broad, and commonly six inches or a foot deep. But I cannot determine any thing of their original size, as I have not been at the place where they are dug, and have [[300]]only seen the stones at Philadelphia, which are brought there ready cut. The particles of talc in this stone are about thirty times as many as those of spar and garnet. It is found in many parts of the country, for example in the neighbourhood of Chester in Pennsylvania. The English likewise call it Soapstone,[47] and it is likely that the Swedes have borrowed that name from them.
This stone was chiefly employed in the following manner. First, the people took spots out of their cloaths with it. But for this purpose the whole stone is not equally useful, for it includes in its clear particles some dark ones which consist wholly of serpentine stone, and may easily be cut with a knife; some of the loose stone is scraped off like a powder, and strewed upon a greasy spot, in silk or any other fluff; this imbibes the grease, and after rubbing off the powder the spot disappears: and as this stone is likewise very durable in the fire, the country people make their hearths with it, especially the place where the fire lies, and where the heat is the greatest, for the stone [[301]]stands the strongest fire. If the people can get a sufficient quantity of this stone, they lay the steps before the houses with it, instead of bricks, which are generally used for that purpose.
The walls round the court yards, gardens, burying places, and those for the sloping cellar doors towards the street, which are all commonly built of brick, are covered with a coping of this stone; for it holds excellently against all the effects of the sun, air, rain and storm, and does not decay but secures the bricks. On account of this quality, people commonly get the door posts in which their hinges are fastened made of this stone: and in several publick buildings, such as the house of assembly for the province, the whole lower wall is built of it, and in other houses the corners are laid out with it.
The Salt which is used in the English North American colonies is brought from the West Indies. The Indians have in some places salt springs from which they get salt by boiling. I shall in the sequel have occasion to describe some of them. Mr. Franklin was of opinion that the people in Pensylvania could easier make good salt of sea water, than in New England, where sometimes salt is made of the sea water on [[302]]their coast; though their situation is more northerly. Lead-ore has been discovered in Pensylvania, but as it is not to be met with in quantity, no body ever attempted to use it. Loadstones of considerable goodness have likewise been found; and I myself possess several pretty pieces of them.
Iron is dug in such great quantities in Pensylvania and in the other American provinces of the English, that they could provide with that commodity not only England, but almost all Europe, and perhaps the greater part of the globe. The ore is here commonly infinitely easier got in the mines, than our Swedish ore. For in many places with a pick ax, a crow-foot and a wooden club, it is got with the same ease with which a hole can be made in a hard soil: in many places the people know nothing of boring, blasting and firing; and the ore is likewise very fusible. Of this iron they get such quantities, that not only the numerous inhabitants of the colonies themselves have enough of it, but great quantities, are sent to the West Indies, and they have lately began even to trade to Europe with it. This iron is reckoned better for ship building than our Swedish iron, or any other, because salt water does not corrode it so much. Some people believed that without reckoning [[303]]the freight, they could sell their iron in England at a lower rate than any other nation; especially when the country becomes better peopled and labour cheaper.
The mountain flax,[48] or that kind of stone, which Bishop Browallius calls Amiantus fibris separabilibus molliusculis, in his lectures on mineralogy which were published in 1739, or the amiant with soft fibres which can easily be separated, is found abundantly in Pensylvania. Some pieces are very soft, others pretty tough: Mr. Franklin told me that twenty and some odd years ago, when he made a voyage to England, he had a little purse with him, made of the mountain flax of this country, which he presented to Sir Hans Sloane. I have likewise seen paper made of this stone: and I have likewise received some small pieces of it, which I keep in my cabinet. Mr. Franklin had been told by others that on exposing this mountain flax to the open air in winter, and leaving it in the cold and wet, it would grow together, and more fit for spinning. But he did not venture to [[304]]determine how far this opinion was grounded. On this occasion he related a very pleasant accident, which happened to him with this mountain flax: he had, several years ago, got a piece of it, which he gave to one of his journeymen printers, in order to get it made into a sheet at the paper mill. As soon as the fellow brought the paper, Mr. Franklin rolled it up, and threw it into the fire, telling the journeyman he would see a miracle, a sheet of paper which did not burn: the ignorant fellow asserted the contrary, but was greatly astonished, upon seeing himself convinced. Mr. Franklin then explained him, though not very clearly, the peculiar qualities of the paper. As soon as he was gone, some of his acquaintance came in, who immediately knew the paper. The journeyman thought he would shew them a great curiosity and astonish them. He accordingly told them that he had curiously made a sheet of paper, which would not burn, though it was thrown into the fire. They pretended to think it impossible, and he as strenuously maintained his assertion. At last they laid a wager about it; but whilst he was busy with stirring up the fire, the others slyly besmeared the paper with fat: the journeyman, who was not aware of it, threw it into the fire, [[305]]and that moment it was all in flames: this astonished him so much, that he was almost speechless; upon which they could not help laughing, and so discovered the whole artifice.