Penfylvaniay Germantown. 1 05 



what nobody attempts to contradict. When 

 a fhip which is built here, has ferved eight 

 or twelve years it is worth little -, and if 

 one is to be met with, which has been in 

 uie longer and is yet ferviceable, it is reck- 

 oned very aftonifhing. It is difficult to 

 find out the caufes from whence this hap- 

 pens. Some lay the fault to the badnefs 

 of the wood : others condemn the method 

 of building the mips, which is to make 

 them of trees which are yet green, and have 

 had no time to dry. I believe both caufes 

 are joined. For I found oak, which at the 

 utmofl had been cut down about twelve 

 years, and was covered by a hard bark. 

 But upon taking off this bark, the wood 

 below it was almofl entirely rotten, and 

 like flour, fo that I could rub it into pow- 

 der between my fingers. How much long- 

 er will not our European oak iland before 

 it moulders ? 



At night we returned to Philadelphia, 

 September the 23d. There are no Hares 

 in this country, but fome animals, which 

 are a medium between our Hares and Rab- 

 bets, and make a great devaftation whenever 

 they get into fields of cabbage and turneps. 

 Many people have not been able to find 

 out why the North American plants which 

 are carried to Europe and planted there, for 



the 



