USA > Virginia > The generall historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer isles: with the names of the adventurers, planters, and governours, from their first beginning, an. 1584. To this present 1626. With the proceedings of those severall colonies > Part 17
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The principall habitation Northward we were at, was Pennobscot: Southward along the Coast and yp the Rivers.
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The Description of New-England.
we found Macadacut, Serocket, Pensquid, Nusconcus. Su- gudahock, Aumoughcowgen, and Kenebeke; and to those Countries belong the people of Segotago, Pasbhunteauch, Pocopussum, Taughtane gra, Warbigganas, Nassaque, Masherosqueck, Waworigwreck, Moshoquen, Wakrogo, Pa- sharanac, Ke. To these are alied in confederacy, the Coun- tries of Ancocisco, Leromanticus, Passataquack, Aggucom, and Nuevakede: All these for any thing I could perceive, dif- fer little in language, fashion, of gouernment, though most of them be Lords of themselues, vet they hold the Bashabes of Penobscot, the chiefe and greatest amongst them.
The next I can remember by name, are Muitohunts, two pleasant lles of Groves, Gardens, and Corne fields a league in the Sea from the maine: Then Totant, Massachuset, To- pent, Secassaw, Totheet, Nasnocomucack, Accomack, Cha- wum, Putucet, Mussasoyts, Pakanokick: then Cape Cod, by which is Pacenet and the He Nauset, of the language and aliance of them of Chawum; the others are called Massa- chusets, and differ somewhat in language, custome, and con- dition: for their Trade and Merchandize, to each of their principall families or habitations, they hauc divers Townes and people belonging, and by their relations and descriptions, more then twentie seuerall habitations and riuers that stretch themselues farre into the Countrey, euen to the Borders of di- uers great Lakes, where they kill and take most of their Ot- ters, from Pennobscot to Sagadahoc. This Coast is moun- tainous, and lles of huge Rockes, but ouer-growne for most part, with most sorts of excellent good woods, for building Houses, Boats, Barks or Ships, with an incredible abun - dance of most sorts of Fish. much Fowle, and suadry sorts of good Fruits for mans vse.
Betwixt Segudahock, and Sowocetuck, there is but two or three Sandy Bayes, but betwixt that and Cape lames verv many: especially the Coast of the Massachusets is so indit- ferently mixed with high Clay or Sandy clifts in one place, and the tracts of large iong ledges of diverssons, and Qua- ries of stones in other places, so strangely divided with tinc- tured veines of diuers colours: as Free-sione for building, Slate for tyling, smooth stone to take Furnasses and Forges for Glasse and Iron, and Iron Ore sufficient contraiently to melt in them; but the most part so resembleth the Coast of Devonshire, I thinke most of the elifts would miske such
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The Description of New-England.
Lime-stone: if they bee not of these qualities, they are so like they may deceiue a better judgment then mine: all which are so neere adiovning to those other advantages I observed in these parts, that if the Ore proues as good Iron and Steele in those parts as I know it is within the bounds of the Coun- trey, I dare ingage my head (hauing but men skillfull to worke the Simples there growing) to haue all things belong- ing to the building and rigging of ships of any proportion and good Merchandise for their fraught, within a square of ten or fourteene leagues, and it were no hard matter to proue it within a lesse limitation.
And surely by reason of those sandy clifts, and clifts of rocks, both which we saw so planted with Gardens and Corne fields, and so well inhabited with a goodly, strong, and well proportioned people, besides the greatnesse of the Timber growing on them, the greatnesse of the Fish, and the mode- rate temper of the aire ffor of fue and forty not a man was sicke, but two that were many yeares diseased before they went, notwithstanding our bad lodging and accidentall diet) whocan butapprove this a most excellent place, both for health and fertilitie: and of all the foure parts of the world I hade vet seeno not inhabited, could I haue but meanes to transport a Colony, I would rather live here then any where, and if it did not maintaine it selfe, were we but once indifferently well fitted, let vs staruc.
The maine staple from hence to bee extracted for the present, to produce the rest, is Fish, which howbeit may seeme a meane and a base Commoditie; vet who will but truly take the paines and consider the sequell, I thinke will allow it well worth the labour. It is strange to see, what great aduentures the hopes of setting forth men of warre to rob the industrious innocent would procure, or such massie promises in grosse, though more are choaked then well fed with such hastie hopes. But who doth not know that the poore Hollanders chiefely by fishing at a great charge and labour in all weathers in the open Sea, are made a people so hardy and industrious, and by the venting this poore Com- moditie to the Easterlings for as meane, which is wood, Flax, Pitch, Tarre, Rozen, Cordage, and such like; which they exchange againe to the French. Spaniards, Portugal's, and English, &e. for what they want, are made so mighty, strong, and rich, as no state but Fenice of twice thei
The Description of New-England. 185
magnitude is so well furnished, with so many faire Cities, goodly Townes, strong Fortresses, and that abundance of shipping, and all sorts of Merchandize, as well of Gold, Sil- uer, Pearles, Diamonds, pretious Stones, Silkes, Veluets, and Cloth of Gold; as Fish, Pitch, Wood, or such grosse Com- modities? What voiages and discoveries. East and West. North and South, yea about the world, make they? What an Army by Sea and Land hane they long maintained, in despight of one of the greatest Princes of the world, and ne- uer could the Spaniard with all his Mines of Gold and Sil- uer, pay his debts, his friends, and Army, halfe so truly as the Hollanders still have done by this contemptible Trade of Fish. Diuers (I know) may alleage many other assistances; but this is the chiefest Mine, and the Sea the source of those silucr streames of all their vertue, which bath mande them now the very miracle of industry, the only patterne of per- fertion for these affaires: and the benefit of fishing is that Primum Mobile that turnes all their spheares to this height, of plentie, strength, honor, and exceeding great admiration.
Herring, Cod, and Ling, is that triplicitie, that makes their wealth and shipping inultiplicitie such as it is: and from which (few would thinke it) they should draw so many mil- lions veerely as they doe, as more in particular in the trials of New-England you may see; and such an incredible num- ber of ships, that breeds them so many Sailers, Mariners. Souldiers and Merchants, neuer to be wrought om of that Trade, and fit for any other. I will not deay but others may gaine as well as they that will cse it, though not so certain- ly, nor so much in quantity, for want of experience: and this Herring they take vyon the Coast of England and Scotland, their Cod and Ling vpon the Coast of Iseland, and in the North Seas, if wee consider what gaines the Hamburgons, the Biskinners, and French make by Gshing; nay, but how many thousands this fifty or sixty yeeres haus berne main- tained by New forced bend, where they take nothing but small Cod, whereof the greatest they make Cor-fish, and the rest is hard dried, which we call Poore-lobn, would amoze a man with wonder. If then from all those port- such peines is taken for this poore gaines of Fish, especially by the flol- kunders, that hath but little of their owne, for building of ships and setting them to sea; but at the second, third. fourth, or fift hand, drawne from so many parts of the world ere Vol. 2-Z
186 The Altitude comparatiucly, and purticular Commodities.
they come together to be vsed in those voiages: If these (I say) can gaine, why should we more doubt then they: but doe much better, that may haue most of all those things at our doores for taking and making, and here are no hard Landlords to racke vs with high rents, or extorting fines, nor tedious pleas in Law to consume vs with their many veeres disputation for Justice; no multitudesto occasion such impe- diments to good orders as in popular States: so freely hath God and his Maiestie bestowed those blessings, on them will attempt to obtaine them, as here euery man may be master of his owne labour and land, or the greatest part (if' his Maiesties royall meaning be not abused) and if he haue nothing but his hands, he may set vp his Trade; and by industry quickly grow rich, spending but halfe that time well, which in Eng- Tand we abusc in idlenesse, worse, or as ill. Here is ground as good as any lieth in the height of forty one, forty two. forty three, &c. which is as temperate, and as fruitfull as any other parallel in the world.
As for example, on this side the line, West of it in the South Sea. is Nova Albion, disoouered as is- said by Sir Francis Drake: East from it is the most temperate part of Portugal, the ancient Kingdomes of Galicie, Bisky, Nauwere. Aragon, Cattilonia, Castilia the old, and the most mode- ratest of Custillia the new, and Valentin. which is the great- est part of Sorting; which if the Histories be true, in the Ro- mans time abounded ao lesse with gold and silver Miaes, then now the West-Indios, the Romans then ysing the Spa- miards to worke in those Mines, as now the Spaniards doe the Indians. In France the Provinces of Gasco- ny, Langudocke, Auignon, Province, Dolphine, Pyamont, and Turyne, are in the same parallel, which are the best and richest parts of France. In Italy the Provinces of Gt- Rua, Lumbardy, and Verona, with a great part of the most famous state of Fenie mae Dakedomes of Bononia, Mentre. Ferrara, Ravenna, Bolognia, Florence, Pisa, Sienna, Vibine, Ancona, and the ancient Citie and Country of Rome, with a great part of the Kingdome of Naples. In Shavonin, Is- trig, and Dalmatie, with the Kingdomes of Abania. In Grecia those famous Kingdomes of Macetbain. Bullalegria. Thessalia, Thracia, or Romania, where is seated the most pleasant and plentiful Citie in Europe, Constantinople.
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The Altitude comparatively, and particular Commodities. 187
In Asia in the same latitude, are the temperatest parts of Natolia, Armenia, Persia, and China, besides divers other large Countries and Kingdomes in those most milde and tem- perate Regions of Asia. Southward in the same height is the richest of Gold Mines, Chily, and Baldinia, and the mouth of the great River of Plate, &c. for all the rest of the world in that height is yet vnknowne. Beskles these reasons, mine owne eies that haue seene a great part of those Cities and their Kingdomes (as well as it) can finde no ad- vantage they haue in Nature but this, they are beautified by the long labour and diligence of industrious people and art: This is onely as God made it when hee created the world: Therefore I conclude, if the heart and intrailes of those Regions were sought, if their Land were cultured, plamed. and manured by men of industry. judgement, and experience; what hope is there, or what need they doubt, having the aduantages of the Sea, but it might equalize any of these famous Kingdomes in all commodities, pleasures, and conditions, seeing euen the very hedges doe naturally affoord vs such plentie. as no ship need returne away emptie, and onely vse but the season of the Sea. Fish will returne an honest gaine, besides all other advantages, her treasures hauing vet neuer beene opened, nor her originals wasted, consumed, nor abused.
And whereas it is said the Hollanders serne the Easterlings themselves, and other parts that want with Herring, Ling, and wet Cod: The Easterlings, a great part of Europe, with Sturgion and Cauiare, as the Blacke Sea doth Grecia, Podo- lia, Sagonie, Natolia, and the Hellespont. Cape Blanke, Spaine, Portugal, and the Levant. with Mulit and Puttargo. New found land, the most part of the chiefe Southerne Ports in Europe, with a thin Poore-lohn, which hath beene so long, so much ouer-laied with Fishers as the fishing decaicth, so that many oft times are constrained to returne with a small fraught. Norway and Poland affoords Pitch and Tarre, Masts and Yards. Sweathland and Russia, Iron and Ropes. France and Spaine, Canuase, Wine, Steele, Iron, and Oile. Italy and Greece. Silkes and Fruits. I dare boldly say, because I have seene naturally growing or breeding in those parts, the same materials that all these are made of, they may as well hee had here, or the most part of them wirhin the distance of seuentic leagues for some few
188 The altitude comparatively, and particular Commodities.
ages, as from all those parts vsing but the same meanes to haue them that they doc: but surely in Virginia, their most tender and daintiest fruits of commodities, would be as perfit as theirs, by reason of the beat, if not in New England, and with all those advantages.
First the ground is so fertill, that questionlesse it is capable of producing any Graine, Fruits, or Seeds, you will sow or plant, growing in the Bogions aforenamed: But it may not to that perfection of delicacy, because the Summer is not so hot, and the Winter is more cold in those parts we haue vet tried neere the Sea side, then wee finde in the same height in Europe or Asia: yet I made a Garden vpon the top of a Rocky Ile in three and forty degrees and an halfe, foure leagues from the maine in Mav. that grow so well, as it seru- ed vs for Sallets in Iune and July. All sorts of Cattle may here be bred aud fed in the Iles or Peninsulaes securely for nothing. In the Interim, till they increase (if need be) ob- seruing the seasons, I durst vadertake to haue Corne enough from the Saluages for three hundred men, for a few trities; and if they should be vntowards, as it is most certaine they will, thirtie or fortie good men will be sufficient to bring them all in subiection, and make this prouision, if they understand what to doe: two hundred whereof may eight or nine moneths in the yeere he imploied in helping the Fisher-men, till the rest prouide other necessaries, fit to furnish vs with other Commodities.
In March, Aprill, May, and halfe Iune, heere is Cod in abundance: In May, Inne, lab. and August, Mullit and Sturgion, whose Roes doc make Cautare and Puttargo; Her- ring, if any desire thein: I have taken many out of the bel- lies of Cods, some in hets; but the Saluages compare the store in the Sea with the haires of their heads, and surely there arr an incredible abundance ypon this Const. In the end of August. September, October, and Nouember, you may haue Cod againe to make Cor-tish or Poore-John: Hake you may have when the Ved files in sommer. If ver will ich in the night, which is better then Cod. Now each hundred you take here, is as good as two or three hundred in Nat formed Land; so that balfe the labour in hooking, splitting and touring, is saned: And you may have your fish at what mar - ket you will, before they have any in New found land, where their fishing is chiefely but in June and futv. where it is here
The seasons and facilitie of Trade and Plantations. 189
in March, Aprill, May, September, October and Nonember, as is said; so that by reason of this Plantation, the Mer- chants may have their fraught both out and home, which yeelds an advantage worth consideration. Your Core-fish you may in like manner transport as you see couse, to serve the Ports in Portugall, as Lisbone, Auera, Porta Port, and divers others, (or what market you please) before four Ilan- ders returnc. They being tied to the season in the open Sea, and you having a double season, and fishing before your doores, nay query night sleep quietly ashore with good cheere, and what fres von will, or when you please with your wives and family: they onely and their ships in the maine Ocean, that must carje and containe all they vse besides their fraught. The Mullits here are in that abundance, you may take them with Gets, sometimes by hundreds, where'at Cape Blanke they hooke them; yet those are but a foot and a halfe in length; these two, three, or foure, as oft I haue measured, which makes me suspect they are some other kinde of fish, though they seeme the same, both in fashion and goodnesse. Much Salmon some have found vp the Rivers as they hauc passed, and here the aire is so temperate, as all these at any time may be preserued. Now, young Boies and Girles Sal- uages, or any other bee they never such idles, may turne, carie, or returne a fish, without either shame or any great paine: He is very idle that is past twelue yceres of age and cannot doe so much, and she is very old that cannot spin a threed to make Engins to catch a fish.
For their transportation, the ships that goe there to fish may transport the first: who for their passage will spare the charge of double manning their ships, which they must do in New found land to get their fraught; but one third part of that company are only proper to serie a stage, carie a Bar- row, and turne Poore-lohn; notwithstanding, they must. have mcat, drinke, clothes, and passage so well as the rest. Now all I desire is but this, That those that voluntarily will send shipping, should make here the best choice they can, or accept such as shall bee presented them to serue them at that rate: and their ships returning leane such with me. with the value of that they should receive comming home, in such prouision and necessarie tooles, armes, bedding, apparell, salt, nets, bookes, lines, and such like as they spare of the remaining : who till the next returne may keepe twir Boats,
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190 Present commodities with their gaines.
and doe them many other profitable offices. Provided, 1 haue men of abilitie to teach them their functions, and a company fit for Souldiers to be ready vpon any occasion, because of the abuses that have beene offered the poore Sal- uages, and the libertie that both French and English, or any that will, hane to deale with them as they please; whose dis- orders will be hard to reforme, and the longer the worse: Now such order with facilitie might be taken, with euery Port, Towne, or Cidie, with free power to convert the bene- fit of their fraughts to what aduantage they please, and in- crease their numbers as they see occasion, who ever as they are able to subsist of themselues, may begin the new Townes in New England, in memory of their old: which freedome being confined but to the necessitie of the generall good, the enent (with Gods helpe) might produce an honest, a noble, and a profitable emulation.
Salt vpon Salt may assuredly be made, if not at the first in ponds, yet till they be provided this may be vsed: then the ships may transport Kine, Horse, Goats, course Cloth, and such Commodities as we want: by whose arrinall may be made that provision of fish to fraught the ships that they stay not: and then if the Sailers goe for wages it matters not, it is hard if this returne defray not the charge: but care must be had they arrive in the Spring. or else that provision be made for them against winter. Of certaine red berries call- ed Kermes, which is worth ten shillings the pound. but of these have beene sold for thirty or forty shillings the pound, may yeeroly be gathered a good quantity. Of the Moskrat may be well raised gaines worth their labour, that will endeuour to make triall of the r goodnesse. Of Bevers. Otters and Martins, Macke Foxes, and Faires of price, may veerely be had six or seauen thousand. and if the trade of the French were prevented, many more: 35000. this yeare were brought from those northerne parts into France, of which trade pe may have'as good part as the French if we take good courses. Of Shines of Gold and Silver, Copper, and probabilities of Lead, Crystall and Allum, I could say much if relations were good assurances; it is true indeed, I made many trialls accor- ding to the instructions I had, which doth perswade me 1 need not despaire but that there are metais in the Country: but I am no Alumist, nor will promise more then I know; which is, who will yndertake the rectify ing of an iron Forge
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Present commodities with their gaines.
if those that buy meat and drinke, coles, ore, and all neces- saries at a deare rate, gaine, where all these things are to be had for taking vp, in my opinion cannot lose.
Of woods, seeing there's such plenty of all sorts, if these that build ships and boats, bay wood at so great a price, as it is in England, Spaine, France and Holland, and all other provisions for the nourishment of maus life, liue well by their trade; when labour is all required to take these necessaries without any other tax, what hazard will be here but to doe much better, and what commodity in Europe doth more de . cay then wood? for the goodaesse of the ground, let ystake it fortill or barren, or as it is, seeing it is certaine it beares fruits to nourish and feed man and beast as well as Englert, and the Sea those senerall sorts of Ashes I haue related: this seeing all good things for mans sustenance may with this facility be had by a little extraordinary labour, till that trans- ported be increased, and all necessaries for shipving onely for labour, to which may added the assistance of the saluages which may easily be had, if they be disereedy handled in their kinds, towards fishing, planting, and destroying woods, what gaines might be raised if this were followed (when there is but once men to fill your store houses dwelling there, you may serue all Europe better and farre cheaper then can the Iland Fishers, or the Hollanders, Cape-blanke, or New- found land, who must be at much more charge then you) may easily be coniectured by this example.
Two thousand will fit out a ship of 200. tuanes, and one of 100. tuns, if of the dry fish they both make fraught, that of 200. and goe for Spaine. sell it but at ren shillings a quin- tall, but commonly it giues fifteene or twenty. especially when it commeth firt, which ambeats to 3. or 2000. pound, but say but ten, which is the lowest, allowing the rest for waste, it amounts at that rate to 2000, which is the whole charge of your two ships and the equipage, then the returne of the mony and the fraught of the ship for the vintage or any other uovage is cleere gaine, with your ship of one hun- dred tunnes of traine Oile and Cor-fish, besides the Beners and other commodities, and that you may have at home with- in six moneths if God please to send but an ordinary passage; then saning halfe this charge by the not staying of your ships, your vietuall. ouerplus of men and wages, with her fraught thither with necessaries for the Plinters, the
192 The habitations of the Suluages in particular.
Salt being there made, as also may the nets and lines within a short time; if nothing may be expected, but this, it might in time equalize your Hollanders Gaines, if not exceede them, hauing their fraught alwaies ready against the arrivall of the ships, this would so increase our shipping and sailers, and so incourage and imploy a great part of our Idlers and others that want imployment fitting their qualities at hoine, where they shame to doe that they would doe abroad, that could they but once taste the sweet fruits of their owne la- bours, doubtlesse many thousands would be aduised by good discipline to take more pleasure in honest industry, thea in their humors of dissolute idlenesse.
But to returne a little more to the particulars of this Coun- trey, which I intermingle thus with my projects and reasons, not being so sufficiently vet acquainted in those parts, to write fully the estate of the Sea, the Aire, the Land. the Fruits, their Rocks. the People, the Goucramout. Religion. Territories, Limitations, Friends and Foos But as I gather- ed from their niggardly relations in a broken language, during the time I ranged those Countries, &c. the most Northerne part I was at, was the Bay of Pennobscot, which is East and West, North and South, more then ten leagues: but such were my occasions, I was constrained to be satisfied of them I found in the Bay, that the Riuer ranne farre op into the Land, and was well inhabited with many people, but they were from their habitations, either fishing amongst the lles, or hunting the Lakes and Woods for Deore and Beuers: the Bay is full of great les of one, two, six or eight miles in length, which diuides it into many faire and excellent good Harbours. On the East of it are the Torrentines; their mor- tall enemies, where inhabit the French, as they report, that lite with those people as one Nation or Family: And North- west of Pennobscot is Becaddacur, at the foot of a high Mountaine, a kiude of fortresse against the Turrentines, ad- ioyning to the high Mountaines of Pennobscot, against whose feet doth beat the Sea; but ouer all the Laod, Nes, or other impediments, vos may well see them fourpreene or cighiere leagues from their situation. Segociet is the next, then Nus- koucus, Pemmaquid, and Sugadahocker vp this River, where was the Westerne Plantation, are Jumsunenogen, Kinne- bake, and diners others, where are pirated some & omne fields. Along this Riuer thittie or fortic miles. I saw nothing but
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