I dare be bold to say also, there may be Shippes as conueniently built there as in any place of the world, where, I haue beene, and better cheape. As for Plancke, crooked Timber, and all other sorts what so euer can be desired for such purpose, the world cannot afford better. Masts and Yeards of all sises, there be allso Trees growing, whereof Pitch and Tarre is made.
And for Sailes and all sorts of Cordish you neede not to want, if you will but sowe Hempe and Flaxseede, and after worke it. Now there wants nothing but Iron, and truely I thinke I haue seene Iron-stones there, but I must acknowledge I haue no great iudgement in Mineralls, yet I haue seene the Iron-workes in England, and this Stone is like ours. But howsoever if the Countrie will not afford Iron, yet it may be easilie brought, for it is good Ballast for Shippes.
There is also much excellent Timber for Ioyners and Coopers: howsoeuer a worthy Noble man hath beene abused, who sent ouer some to make Pippe-staues, who either for want of skill or industrie, did no good. Yet I dare say no place in England can afford better Timber for Pippe-staues, then foure seuerall places which I haue seene in that Countrey.
Thus haue I relaited vnto you what I haue seene, and doe know may be had in those parts of New-England where I haue beene, yet was I neuer at the Mesachusett, which is counted the Paradise of New-England, nor at Cape Ann. But I feare there hath been too faire a glosse set on Cape Ann. I am told there is a good Harbour which makes a faire Inuitation, but when they are in, their entertainement is not answerable, for there is little good ground, and the Shippes which fished there this yeare, their boats went twenty miles to take their Fish, and yet they were in great feare of making their Voyages, as one of the Masters confessed vnto me who was at my house.
Neither was I at New-Plimoth, but I feare that place is not so good as many other, for if it were in my conceite they would content themselues with it and not seeke for any other hauing ten times so much ground as would serue ten times so many people as they haue now amongst them. But it seemes they haue no Fish to make benifit of, for this yeare they had one Shippe Fisht at Pemoquid, and an other at Cape Ann, where they haue begun a new Plantation, but how long it will continew I know not.
Neither was I ever farther to the West then the Iles of Shoulds.
Thus have I done with my commendations of the Countrie. I will now speake the worst I know by it.
About the middle of May you shall haue little Flies, called Musketoes, which are like Gnatts, they continue as I am told, vntill the last of July. These are very troublesome for the time, for they sting exceedingly both night and day. But I found by experience that bootes or thicke stockings would saue the legges, gloues the hands, and tiffeney or some such things which will not much hinder the sight will saue the face, and at night any smoake will secure a man.
The reason of the aboundance of these creatures, I take to be the woods which hinders the aire, for I haue obserued allwaies when the winde did blow but a little, we were not much troubled with them.
And I verily thinke that if there were a good number of people planted together, and that the woods were cut downe, the earth were tilled, and the rubbish which lieth on the ground wherein they breed were burnt, and that there were many chimneyes smoaking, such small creatures would doe but little hurt.