Between New York and Albany. 237 



The fire-flies pafled the river in num- 

 bers, at night, and fometimes fettled upon 

 the rigging. 



'June the 12th. This morning we pro- 

 ceeded with the tide, bnt againft the wind. 

 The river was here a mufket-fhot broad. 

 The country in general is low on both 

 fides, confining of low rocks, and flony 

 fields, which are however covered with 

 woods. It is fo rocky, ftony, and poor, 

 that nobody can fettle in it, or inhabit it, 

 there being no fpot of ground fit for a 

 corn-field. The country continued to have 

 the fame appearance for the fpace of fome 

 miles, and we never perceived one fettle- 

 ment. At eleven o'clock this morning 

 we came to a little ifland, which lies in 

 the middle of the river, and is faid to be 

 half-way between New York and Albany, 

 The fhores are flill low, ftony, and 

 rocky, as before. But at a greater diffance 

 we faw high mountains, covered with 

 woods, chiefly on the weftern more, railing 

 their tops above the reft of the country ; 

 and (till further off, the Blue Mountains 

 rofe up above them. Towards noon it was 

 quite calm, and we went on very flow. 

 Here, the land is well cultivated, efpecial- 

 ly on the eaftern more, and full of great 

 corn-fields ; yet the foil feemed fandy. 



Several 



