May the 31st. About noon I left Philadelphia, and went on board a small yacht, which sails continually up and down upon the river Delaware, between Trenton and Philadelphia. We sailed up the river with fair wind and weather. Sturgeons leaped often a fathom into the air. We saw them continuing this exercise all day, till we came to Trenton. The banks on the Pensylvanian side were low; and those on the New Jersey side steep and sandy, but not very high. On both sides we perceived forests of tall trees, with deciduous leaves.
During the course of this month, the forenoon was always calm; but immediately after noon it began to blow gently, and sometimes pretty strongly. This morning was likewise fair; and in the afternoon it was cloudy, but did not rain.
The banks of the river were sometimes high, and sometimes low. We saw some small houses near the shore, in the woods; [[219]]and, now and then, a good house built of stone. The river now decreased visibly in breadth. About three o’clock this afternoon we passed Burlington.
Burlington, the chief town in the province of New Jersey, and the residence of the governor, is but a small town, about twenty miles from Philadelphia, on the eastern side of the Delaware. The houses were chiefly built of stone, though they stood far distant from each other. The town has a good situation, since ships of considerable burden can sail close up to it: but Philadelphia prevents its carrying on an extensive trade; for the proprietors of that place[56] have granted it great immunities, by which it is increased so as to swallow all the trade of the adjacent towns. The house of the governor at Burlington is but a small one: it is built of stone, close by the river side, and is the first building in the town as you come from Philadelphia. It is observed, that about the full moons, when the tides are highest, and the high water at Cape Hinlopen comes at nine o’clock in the morning, it will be at Chester, on the river Delaware, about ten minutes after one o’clock; at Philadelphia, about ten minutes after two o’clock; and at Burlington, [[220]]about ten minutes after three o’clock; for the tide in the river Delaware comes quite up to Trenton. These observations were communicated to me by Mr. Lewis Evans.
The banks of the river were now chiefly high and steep on the side of New Jersey, consisting of a pale brick-coloured soil. On the Pensylvanian side, they were gently sloping, and consisted of a blackish rich mould, mixed with particles of Glimmer (Mica). On the New Jersey side appeared some firs; but seldom on the other, except in a few places where they were accidentally brought over from New Jersey.
Towards night, after the tide had begun to ebb and the wind was quite subsided, we could not proceed, but dropped our anchor about seven miles from Trenton, and passed the night there. The woods were full of Fireflies, (Lampyris) which flew like sparks of fire between the trees, and sometimes across the river. In the marshes, the Bullfrogs now and then began their hideous roaring; and more than a hundred of them roared together. The Whip-poor-will, or Goatsucker, was likewise heard every where.
June the 1st. We continued our voyage this morning, after the rain was over. The [[221]]river Delaware was very narrow here, and the banks the same as we found them yesterday, after we had passed Burlington. About eight o’clock in the morning we arrived at Trenton[57].
June the 2d. This morning we left Trenton, and proceeded towards New York. The country I have described before[58]. The fields were sown with wheat, rye, maize, oats, hemp, and flax. In several places, we saw very large pieces of ground with hemp.
We saw abundance of chesnut-trees in the woods. They often stood in excessive poor ground, which was neither too dry nor too wet.
Tulip-trees did not appear on the road; but the people said there were some in the woods.