360 J- F. gronovius [1752. 



be placed as different in altitude as magnitude, or distance ; so, 

 consequently, many of them may be in the reach of common 

 sounding, not yet known, by reason that the navigators never 

 sound but when they expect they are near some coast. But if our 

 cruising vessels (for merchant ships can't lose so much time, unless 

 in a calm), were to sound every day far from shore, perhaps they 

 might find fine banks, where many kinds of fish frequent for food, 

 and might be improved for good fisheries, for the benefit of man- 

 kind. Query, whether these vast chains of mountains, if there be 

 such, may not be, in part, the cause of the currents in the sea, 

 which our navigators complain so much of ; and is it not probable, 

 that there may be various kinds of fish in the great vales, between 

 these ridges, which never appeared, nor can live, near the surface 

 of the water ? 



Thy answer to these queries will be very acceptable to thy sin- 

 cere friend and well-wisher, 



John Bartram. 



P. S. Our worthy friend Benjamin Franklin, desires thee to 

 send him a Dutch translation of his new-invented stove, or fire- 

 place ; and one book of his Electrical Experiments, if it be translated 

 into Dutch. He wants to make a present of them to a friend in 

 York. He is willing to satisfy thee for them, cost what they may. 



Thine, as before, 



J. B. 



J. F. GRONOVIUS TO JOHN BARTRAM. 



Dear Friend : 



I received your letters, dated January and November, 1751, 

 March and November, 1752 ; besides one of your son Moses ; and 

 lately, by my good friend, Mr. Collinson, yours of 6 of Novemb. 

 1753. 



My own and public affairs, and an indifferent health, have 

 hindered me to show my thankfulness to all my friends and bene- 

 factors, being in great fear to become totally paralytic ; but since 

 I turn myself to a way of living, as our old patriarchs did, I am 

 quite recovered, for I drink no wine, coffee or the, but only small 

 beer, and milk mixed with water. My dinner consisted in gruttos 



