The Purple Martins have likewise been described and drawn in their natural colours by Catesby[31]. Dr. Linnæus likewise calls them Hirundo purpurea. They are less common here than the former species; I [[148]]have seen in several places little houses made of boards, and fixed on the outside of the walls, on purpose that these Martins may make their nests in them; for the people are very desirous of having them near their houses, because they both drive away hawks and crows as soon as they see them, and alarm the poultry by their anxious note, of the approach of their enemies. The chickens are likewise used to run under shelter, as soon as they are warned by the Martins.
April the 17th. The Dirca palustris, or Mouse-wood, is a little shrub which grows on hills, towards swamps and marshes, and was now in full blossom. The English in Albany call it Leather-wood, because its bark is as tough as leather. The French in Canada call it Bois de Plomb, or Leaden-wood, because the wood itself is as soft and as tough as lead. The bark of this shrub was made use of for ropes, baskets, &c. by the Indians, whilst they lived among the Swedes. And it is really very fit for that purpose, on account of its remarkable strength and toughness, which is equal to that of the Lime-tree bark. The English and the Dutch in many parts of North America, and the French in Canada, employ this bark in all cases, [[149]]where we make use of Lime-tree bark in Europe. The tree itself is very tough, and you cannot easily separate its branches without the help of a knife: some people employ the twigs for rods.
April the 20th. This day I found the Strawberries in flower, for the first time, this year: the fruit is commonly larger than that in Sweden; but it seems to be less sweet and agreeable.
The annual harvest, I am told, is always of such a nature, that it affords plenty of bread for the inhabitants, though it turns out to greater advantage in some years than it does in others. A venerable septuagenary Swede, called Aoke Helm, assured me, that in his time no absolutely barren crop had been met with, but that the people had always had pretty plentiful crops. It is likewise to be observed, that the people eat their bread of maize, rye, or wheat, quite pure and free from the inferior kinds of corn, and clear of husks, stalks, or other impurities. Many aged Swedes and Englishmen confirmed this account, and said, that they could not remember any crop so bad as to make the people suffer in the least, much less that any body was starved to death, whilst they here in America. Sometimes the price of [[150]]corn rose higher in one year than in another, on account of a great drought or bad weather, but still there was always corn sufficient for the consumption of the inhabitants. Nor is it likely that any great famine can happen in this country, unless it please God to afflict it with extraordinary punishments. The weather is well known, from more than sixty years experience. Here are no cold nights which hurt the germ. The wet is of short continuance, and the drought is seldom or never of long duration. But the chief thing is the great variety of corn. The people sow the different kinds, at different times and seasons, and though one crop turn out bad, yet another succeeds. The summer is so long, that of some species of corn they may get three crops. There is hardly a month from May to October or November, inclusive, in which the people do not reap some kind of corn, or gather some sort of fruit. It would indeed be a very great misfortune if a bad crop should happen; for here, as in many other places, they lay up no stores, and are contented that there is plenty of food for the present exigencies.
The Peach-trees were now every where in blossom; their leaves were not yet come out of the buds, and therefore the [[151]]flowers shewed to greater advantage; their beautiful pale red colour had a very fine effect; and they sat so close that the branches were entirely clad with them. The other fruit-trees were not yet in flower; however the apple-blossoms began to appear.
The English and the Swedes of America give the name of Currants[32] to a shrub which grows in wet ground, and near swamps, and which was now in blossom; its flowers are white, have a very agreeable fragrancy, and grow in oblong bunches; the fruit is very good eating, when it is ripe; the Style (Stylus) is thread-shaped (filiformis), and shorter than the Stamina; it is divided in the middle, into five parts, or Stigmata. Dr. Linnæus calls it Cratægus[33], and Dr. Gronovius calls it a Mespilus[34].
April the 22d. The Swedes give the name of Whipperiwill, and the English that of Whip-poor-will, to a kind of nocturnal bird, whose voice is heard in North America, almost throughout the whole night. Catesby and Edwards both have described [[152]]and figured it[35]. Dr. Linnæus calls it a variety of the Caprimulgus Europæus, or Goat-sucker: its shape, colour, size, and other qualities, make it difficult to distinguish them from each other. But the peculiar note of the American one distinguishes it from the European one, and from all other birds: it is not found here during winter, but returns with the beginning of summer. I heard it to-day, for the first time, and many other people said, that they had not heard it before this summer; its English and Swedish name is taken from its note; but, accurately speaking, it does not call Whipperiwill, nor Whip-poor-will, but rather Whipperiwhip so that the first and last syllables are accented, and the intermediate ones but slightly pronounced. The English change the call of this bird into Whip-poor-will, that it may have some kind of signification: it is neither heard nor seen in day-time; but soon after sun-set it begins to call, and continues for a good while, as the cuckow does in Europe. After it has continued calling in a place for some time, it removes to another, and begins again: it commonly comes several [[153]]times in a night, and settles close to the houses; I have seen it coming late in the evening, and settling on the steps of the house, in order to sing its song; it is very shy, and when a person stood still, it would settle close by him, and begin to call. It came to the houses in order to get its food, which consists of insects; and those always abound near the houses at night; when it sat and called its whipperiwhip, and saw an insect passing, it flew up and caught it, and settled again. Sometimes you hear four or five, or more, near each other, calling as it were for a wager, and raising a great noise in the woods. They were seldom heard in towns, being either extirpated there, or frightened away, by frequent shooting. They do not like to sit on trees, but are commonly on the ground, or very low in bushes, or on the lower poles of the enclosures. They always fly near the ground: they continue their calling at night till it grows quite dark; they are silent till the dawn of day comes on, and then they call till the sun rises. The sun seems to stop their mouths, or dazzle their eyes, so as to make them sit still. I have never heard them call in the midst of night, though I hearkened very attentively, on purpose to hear it; [[154]]and many others have done the same. I am told they make no nest, but lay two eggs in the open fields. My servant shot at one which sat on a bush near the house, and though he did not hit it, yet it fell down through fear, and lay for some time quite dead; but recovered afterwards. It never attempted to bite when it was held in the hands, only endeavouring to get loose by stirring itself about. Above, and close under the eyes, were several black, long, and stiff bristles, as in other nocturnal birds. The Europeans eat it. Mr. Catesby says, the Indians affirm, that they never saw these birds, or heard of them, before a certain great battle, in which the Europeans killed a great number of Indians. Therefore, they suppose that these birds, which are restless, and utter their plaintive note at night, are the souls of their ancestors who died in battle.
April the 24th. To-day the Cherry-trees began to shew their blossom; they had already pretty large leaves.
The Apple-trees likewise began to blossom; however the Cherry-trees were more forward: They likewise got a greenish hue from their leaves.
The Mulberry-trees[36] were yet quite naked; [[155]]and I was sorry to find that this tree is one of the latest in getting leaves, and one of the first which gets fruit.