JOURNEY THROUGH JERSEY 49 



rock 70 ft. high the stream falls straight away, 60 yards 

 wide. The roughness and wildness of the spot should 

 markedly heighten the loftiness of the scene, which I 

 did not visit. New Jersey was earlier settled and culti- 

 vated (by Swedes) than the neighboring provinces, and 

 formerly was called New Sweden. At present the in- 

 habitants consist of the descendants of the Swedish 

 settlers, with Hollanders, Germans, and English 

 whether the number (including blacks) is actually 130,- 

 ooo, as the Congress gave out before the war, might 

 need further proof. Those parts of Jersey toward the 

 sea are infertile, sandy, swampy flats, grown up in pines 

 and red and white cedar. Along the coast itself are 

 few settlements, and those for the most part inhabited 

 by fishermen. Larger ships do not willingly approach 

 this flat coast, which is cut by many inlets. 



This province is divided into two parts, East and 

 West New Jersey, the boundaries of which are still a 

 matter of dispute. East Jersey is made up of the 

 counties Monmouth, Middlesex, Sommerset, Essex, 

 and Bergen West Jersey of the counties Cape-May, 

 Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Burlington, Hunter- 

 don, Sussex, and Morris. Of the latter division, Burl- 

 ington on the Delaware, 18 miles above Philadelphia, 

 is regarded as the capital, a town known for its good 

 tap-houses. Perth Amboy is the capital of the eastern 

 division. Among the more considerable places may be 

 reckoned Bordentown, Mount Holly, Freehold, Shrews- 

 bury, Greenwich, and Salem. Salem and Greenwich, 

 on the Delaware, formerly had a good trade. 



The administration of this province is through a Gov- 

 ernor, a Legislative Council, and a General Assembly. 

 Each county sends a member to the Council, an estate 

 4 



