240 OElober 1748. 



faw high heaps of oyfter fhells near the 

 farm-houfes, upon the fea fhore ; and about 

 New York, we obferved the people had car- 

 ried them upon the fields which were Town 

 with wheat. However they were entire, 

 and not crufhed. 



The Indians who inhabited the coaft be- 

 fore the arrival of the Europeans, have made 

 oyfters and other fhell fifh their chief food; 

 and at prefent whenever they come to a 

 fait water where oyfters are to be got, they 

 are very active in catching them, and fell 

 them in great quantities to other Indians 

 who live higher up the country : for this 

 reafon you fee immenfe numbers of oyfter 

 and mufcle fhells piled up near fuch places, 

 where you are certain that the Indians for- 

 merly built their huts. This circumftance 

 ought to make us cautious in maintaining, 

 that in all places on the fea more, or higher 

 up in the country, where fuch heaps of fhells 

 are to be met with, the latter have lain 

 there ever fince the time that thofe places 

 were overflowed by the fea. 



Lobsters are likewife plentyfully caught 

 hereabouts, pickled much in the fame way 

 as oyfters, and fent to feveral places. I was 

 told of a very remarkable circumftance a- 

 bout thefe lobfters, and I have afterwards 

 frequently heard it mentioned. The coaft 



of 



