318 ALEXANDER COLHOUN [1739. 



My wife and family join in their best respects to you and Mrs. 

 Bartram. 



ALEXANDER COLHOUN- TO JOHN BARTRAM. 



New York, August 18th, 1739. 



Sir : - 



I was favoured with yours of the -7th of last month. I assure 

 you, was sorry I had not the pleasure of visiting you a second 

 time, being obliged to set out for this place. I am heartily glad 

 to hear you intend next month to be in the Jerseys, and from 

 thence to proceed to this town ; where I shall be very glad to see 

 you. There are a great variety of plants, &c, upon this island. 



As you express a desire to know the distance between New York 

 and Albany, how far this Province is peopled backwards, &c. We 

 are distant from Albany 150 miles. It is situate on the west side 

 of Hudson's River. I went there by water, with our late Gover- 

 nor ; and from thence travelled beyond the farthest Palatine Set- 

 tlement, belonging to this Province, northwest from Albany, about 

 150 or 160 miles, near half-way to our Garrison of Oswego, on the 

 great Lake of Cataraqui. 



Several people travel from hence to Albany by land, (and I 

 believe it is much the same distance as by water.) From what I 

 hear, there is good accommodation on the road. 



Two of our officers went up in a sledge last winter, as several 

 people do from hence ; as well as on horseback, in the summer 

 time. But more of this, &c, at meeting. 



From, sir, your sincere friend, 



And humble servant, 



Alexander Colhoun. 



P. S. I shall esteem myself very much obliged if you can pro- 

 cure for me some Ginseng Root. 



* Mr. Colhoun, as appears by a memorandum in the Bartram Papers, was 

 " Surgeon to the Garrison, in New York." 



