In the yeare 1626 or thereabouts there was not a Neat Beast Horse or sheepe in the Countrey and a very few Goats or hoggs, and now it is a wonder to see the great herds of Catle belonging to every Towne I have mentioned, The braue Flocks of sheepe, The great number of Horses besides those many sent to Barbados and the other Carribe Islands, And withall to consider how many thousand Neate Beasts and Hoggs are yearly killed, and soe have been for many yeares past for Provision in the Countrey and sent abroad to supply Newfoundland, Barbados, Jamaica, @ other places, As also to victuall in whole or in part most shipes which comes there.
Betweene the years 1626 and 1633, Indian Corne was usually sold at 10s or 12s the Bushell, now not esteemed worth 2s, Beefe and Porke then Brought from England and Irland sold at excessive rates.
At that time all the Houses there, except three or fower at New Plymouth, and those which I had could not be valued worth 200lb, and now to behold the handsome Houses & Churches in so many Townes as I have named is a wonder, And the place in which Boston (the Metropolis) is seated, I knew then for some yeares to be a Swamp and Pound, now a great Towne, two Churches, a Gallant Statehouse & more to make it compleate, then can be expected in a place so late a wilderness.
And wheras about the time before mentioned wee could not make in all three Hundred men in the whole Countrey, those scattered a hundred and ffiftie Miles assunder, Now almost every Towne which I have named is able to bring into the feild a full Company of Foote and some Horse, some Townes two or three Companyes compleate with Horse proportionable and Boston more.
And the great abundance of English Fruite, as Apples, Pears, Apricocks, Plumbs, Cherries Musk-Mellons, Water-Mellons &c. is not to be beleeved but by those that have seene it.
And about those times also there were not within the now Great Government of the Massachusetts above three Shallops and a few Cannoes, Now it is wonderfull to see the many Vessels belonging to the Country of all sorts and seizes, from Shipps of some reasonable burthen to Skiffes and Cannoes, many other great Shipps of Burthen from 350 Tunns to 150 have been built there, and many more in time may be, And I am confident there hath not in any place out of so small a number of People been raised so many able Seamen and Commanders as there hath been.
Now we returne to Hudsons River, in the mouth of which lyeth ye Island Mahatas, on which stands now Amsterdam in the Latitude of 41 degrees and about 41 Leagues up the River is their Fort Oranja in the Latitude of 42 & ½ or thereabouts.
I have alwayes understood that the first Setlement of the Dutch there was about the yeare 1618, @ were then a very considerable Number, and long after. And this was as I conceive some yeares after King James had granted all the lands and Islands betweene the Latitude of 40 degrees to 48 North Latitude, unto a Company established at Plymouth in Devon then nameing it New-England, so that Mahatas lyes a full degree within ye bounds of New England; and Fort Oranja their prinl place both for Trade with the Indians @ for Husbandry it lyeth two full degrees and an halfe within the bounds of New England.
And about the year 1629 or 1630 Theire Title to it being in question a rich ship comeing from thence was seized on at Plymouth, as some now here can testify, which shipp and goods (as they say) was delivered up on the Dutch relinquishment of any Title they had or might have to the said Hudsones River And this seemes to be true, for in or about the year 1632 or 1634, a shipp set out from hence by Mr Clobery & Dellabar and others for New England, with passengers & goods & had also a Commission from his Maties: Royall Father to saile unto Mahatas @ as farr up into the River towards Fort Oranja as they could goe, and there trade with the Natives; which they did without any opposition, as the Masters yet liveing can testifie.
From the uttermost part of Hudsons River to the North Cape of Delaware Bay, is somewhat above 20 leagues, and from this Cape to the entrance of the River is about 12 Leagues.