Travels Through North America 



The I2th of October I embarked on board his 

 majesty's ship the Winchester, of fifty guns, Captain 

 Hale commander, for the river Piscataqua, in New 

 Hampshire; and we came to an anchor there the 

 next day, after a pleasant passage. 



The capital of this province is Portsmouth, which 

 is situated upon the river: it is an inconsiderable 

 place, and chiefly built of wood. Very little can be 

 said of the province of New Hampshire, materially 

 different from what has been said of Massachusets 

 Bay. The climate, produce, trade, government, re- 

 ligion, and manners of it are much the same. 

 There are supposed to be about 40,000 inhabitants, 

 8,000 militia, and 6 or 700 provincial troops. There 

 are only two missionaries of the Church of England, 

 and one of these has lately applied to be removed to 

 Rhode Island. The chief articles for exportation 

 are fish, cattle, ships, of which they annually build 

 near 200*, and masts for the royal navy. These are 

 made of the white pine, and are, I believe, the finest 

 in the world, many of them being forty yards long, 

 and as many inches in diameter. They never cut 

 them down but in times of deep snow, as it would be 

 impossible in any other season to get them down to 

 the river. When the trees are fallen, they yoke 



author cannot take upon himself to say which account may be 

 most exact, but he has chosen to abide by that which he heard at 

 Boston. They either of them serve to characterize the people, 

 and to answer the author's purpose in relating it. 

 * See Appendix, No. 2. 



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