FROM PHILADELPHIA 185 



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England and the United States. But although the 

 usual peace-ceremonies have not yet been observed 

 between the American states and the several Indian 

 nations, many people have ventured up the Susque- 

 hannah, exposing themselves to the danger of falling 

 in with Indians still perhaps in a vexed state of mind. 

 I have, however, heard of no instance in which the 

 Indians have misused the good faith reposed in them 

 or have broken the peace of the English, their allies. 

 The journeys to their country were undertaken by 

 people searching for new lands and what was found 

 suitable they wished in part to measure off. Several 

 land-surveyors were already come here with com- 

 missions. In America speculations in land form the 

 trade of a certain class of people, who either singly 

 or in companies take up great tracts of land from the 

 Indians, disposing of them later at a great profit. To 

 that end, skilled judges of lands are sent out in ad- 

 vance so as to pick out the best spots which are then 

 bargained for. In one way and another the Indians 

 are often scandalously overreached. 



We collected in this region several varieties of 

 mature seeds ; but I must confess that considering the 

 place and the season we found little that was new. 

 Rattlesnake-root (Poly gala Senega) grows here in 

 quantity; also Chenopodium anthelminthicum; and 

 Cleome dodecandra, which is praised as a vermifuge. 

 A new species of the Parnassia, which I discovered 

 about New York, grows here plentifully in swampy 

 meadows. Among trees there was conspicuous a 

 group of beautiful larches, called Tamarac ; they use 

 here a drink made from the bark, for swollen feet after 

 fevers. 



