New Tork. 209 



dne, but evenfeveral months : it has fometimes a 

 thicknefs of more than two feet. 



THE inhabitants are fometimes greatly troubled 

 with Mufquitoes. They either follow the hay, 

 which is made near the town, in the low mea- 

 dows which are quite penetrated with fait wa- 

 ter, or they accompany the cattle at night when 

 it is brought home. I have myfelf experienced, 

 and have obferved in others, how f much thefe 

 little animalcules can disfigure a perfon's face 

 during a fmgle night ; for the flcin is fometimes 

 fo covered. over with little blifters from their 

 flings, that people are afhamed to appear in 

 public. The water melons, which are cultivated 

 near the town, grow very large : they are ex- 

 tremely delicious, and are better than i| other 

 parts of North America ; though they are planted 

 in the open fields, and never in a hot-bed. I 

 faw a water melon at Governor Clinton 's, in Sep- 

 tember 1750, which weighed forty-'feven Englifo 

 pounds, and at a merchant's in town another of 

 forty-two pounds weight : however, they were 

 reckoned the biggeft ever feen in this country. 



IN the year 1710, five kings, 'or Sachems, of 

 the Iroquois, went from hence to England, in 

 order to engage Queen Anne to make an alliance 

 with them againft the French. Their names, 

 drefs, reception at court, fpeeches to the Queen, 

 opinion of England, and of the European man- 

 ners, and feveral other particulars about them, 

 are fufficiently known from other writings ; it 

 would therefore be here unneceflary to enlarge 

 about them. The kings or Sachems of the In- 

 dians, have commonly no greater, authority over 



VOL. I, P their 



