Travels Through North America 



excursions into the country. There are several 

 houses pleasantly situated upon East river, near New 

 York, where it is common to have turtle feasts: these 

 happen once or twice in a week. Thirty or forty 

 gentlemen and ladies meet and dine together, drink 

 tea in the afternoon, fish and amuse themselves till 

 evening, and then return home in Italian chaises, 

 (the fashionable carriage in this and most parts of 

 America, Virginia excepted, where they chiefly 

 make use of coaches, and these commonly drawn 

 by six horses), a gentleman and lady in each chaise. 

 In the way there is a bridge, about three miles dis- 

 tant from New York, which you always pass over 

 as you return, called the Kissing Bridge; where it 

 is a part of the etiquette to salute the lady who has 

 put herself under your protection.* 



The present state of this province is flourishing: 

 it has an extensive trade to many parts of the world, 

 particularly to the West Indies; and has acquired 

 great riches by the commerce which it has carried 

 on, under flags of truce, to Cape Fra^ois, and 

 Monte Christo. The troops, by having made it the 

 place of their general rendezvous, have also enriched 

 it very much. However, it is burthened with taxes, 

 and the present public debt amounts to more than 

 300,000 1. currency. The taxes are laid upon estates 

 real and personal; and there are duties upon negroes, 

 and other importations. The provincial troops are 



* See Note XV- 



[118] 



