180 JOHN BAR TRAM TO [1747-8. 



* The cylindrical columns are certainly in New 



England. Benjamin Franklin saw them at three miles distance; 

 but being very cold, did not care to turn out of his way. 



Our proprietor is almost as crafty as covetous. He won't sell 

 land, because the people being necessitated for land to live upon, 

 raiseth its price prodigiously, so that, in a few years, he may get 

 five times as much as he could now or may set it at an extor- 

 tionate ground rent. 



I design to go to the sea-coast this fall, to fetch from thence 

 curiosities of what kind soever I can find. I have wrote to my 

 friend to gather what he can for me. 



January the 30th, 1747-8. 



Dear Peter : 



I have put on board the ship Beulah, three boxes of forest 

 seeds : No. 1 for the Duke of Argyle ; No. 2 for Squire Hamil- 

 ton ; and No. 3 is for thyself. I sent, in a vessel that sailed last 

 November, four boxes: No. 1 for Smithson ;* No. 2 for Wil- 

 liamson ; No. 3 for Lord Deskford ; No. 4 for Lord Hopetoun. 

 I have sent none for the Dukes of Richmond, and Bedford, this 

 year ; for I had nothing new to send them, but what I had sent 

 them several times before. I sent them a fine parcel of the White 

 Pine, last spring, by Seymour. I have not been at the Cedar 

 Swamps, myself. I sent several, to gather the Cedar seeds, but 

 they found but few ; so I could send but a little seed to each cor- 

 respondent that wanted : and it was not safe going beyond our 

 mountains, for fear of the French Indians. 



I have not received one letter from thee, this long time. The 

 last was dated June the 6th. We are surprised that we have no 

 news from London these many months. 



We expect a visit from the French, early in the spring ; and 

 numbers of our people are daily exercising and learning the mar- 

 tial discipline, in order to oppose them, if they should attempt to 

 land, and are making preparations for forts and batteries, to stop 

 any vessels that come in a hostile manner. 



* Perhaps an ancestor of him who endowed the noble Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion, at the city of Washington, "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among 

 men." 



