New Tork, Sfafcn Jfiand. i 3 



and fmall veflels could eafily fail up it. This 

 toras a great advantage to the inhabitants of the 

 neighbouring country, giving them an opportu- 

 nity of fending their goods to New Tork with 

 great eafe ; and they even made ufe of it for trading 

 to the Weft Indies. The country was low on both 

 fides of the river, and confifted of meadows. But 

 there was no other hay to be got, than fuch as 

 commonly grows in fwampy grounds; for as 

 the tide comes up in this river, thefe low plains 

 were fometimes overflowed when the water was 

 high. The people hereabouts are faid to be 

 troubled in fummer with immenfe fwarms of 

 gnats or mufquetoes, which fting them and their 

 cattle. This was afcribed to the low fwampy 

 meadows, on which thefe infects depofit their 

 eggs, which are afterwards hatched by the heat. 



As foon as we had got over the river, we were 

 upon Staten I/land, which is quite furrounded 

 with fait water. This is the beginning of the 

 province of New Tork. Mod of the people fet- 

 tled here were Dutchmen, or fuch as came hi- 

 ther whilft the Dutch were yet in poffeffion of 

 this place. But at prefent they were feat tercet 

 among the Engtijfh and other European inhabi- 

 tants, and fpoke Englifl) for the greateft part. 

 The profpecl of the country here is extremely 

 pleafing, as it is not fo much intercepted by 

 woods, but offers more cultivated fields to view. 

 Hills and vallies ftill continued, as ufual, to 

 change alternately. 



THE farms were near each other. Moft of 



the houfes were wooden ; however forne were 



built of ftone. Near every farm-houfe was an 



N 4 orchard, 



