VOL. XXI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 46I 



very woody, like one continued forest, no part clear, but what is cleared by 

 the English. And though we are pretty closely seated, yet we cannot see our 

 next neighbour's house for trees. In time it may be otherwise ; as the tobacco 

 trade destroys abundance of timber, both for making of hogsheads, and build- 

 ing of tobacco-houses ; besides clearing of ground yearly for planting. The 

 soil is generally sandy, and free of stone, which makes it very convenient for 

 travelling. As for the natural situation of the country, the number of naviga- 

 ble rivers, creeks, inlets, render it very convenient for exporting and importing 

 goods. The rich and plentiful gifts of nature likewise add to the happiness of 

 the place ; the three elements affording plenty of food for the use of man ; and 

 for the preserving of health many excellent herbs and roots, the discovery of 

 whose virtues we owe chiefly to the Indians. As for tlie natural product of the 

 country, we have for timber several sorts of oak, viz. the red, white, black, 

 chesnut, water, Spanish and line oaks; which last bears a leaf like a willow. 

 We have cedar, white and red ; the red serves only for posts and groundsels, the 

 white to rive or split into boards, that being the freest from knots. Here is a 

 tree called cypress, which is very large, and bears a leaf like the sensitive plant ; 

 it is soft and spongy, will not split, and is fit for no use. We have black 

 walnut, which is greatly esteemed by the joiners, for its grain and colour. 

 Here is a sort of poplar, that makes good white plank : it is a large tree, and 

 bears a flower like a tulip. We have also plenty of pine and dog-wood, which 

 is a fine flower-bearing tree. Sassafras, locust, a tree of very quick growth, 

 and very durable in building. Hickory, of which we have two sorts, red and 

 white, this serves chiefly for fire-wood, being the best for that use. We have 

 also plenty of chesnuts, and chinquapine, another species of chesnut ; and a 

 sort of elm like a Dutch elm, called the sugar-tree, from the sweetness of its 

 juice, with which some have made good sugar. Here is also a sort of elder, 

 whose bark is closely guarded with prickles, like those of a briar. Tulip-bearing 

 laurel and myrtle of several sorts; one bearing a berry, with which they make 

 in the eastern shore green wax, very proper to make candles if mixed with 

 tallow. 



Among the inhabitants of the air, which are very numerous, the humming 

 bird is the most curious ; they continue all summer feeding only on flowers, 

 like bees. Of reptiles, the rattle-snake is the most noted: and what is com- 

 monly reported of its charming birds, squirrels, &c. is not groundless, having 

 been affirmed to me by several eye witnesses. 



As for the nature of the clime, the air is now more wholesome than former- 

 ly, which I suppose proceeds from the opening of the country, giving the air a 

 freer motion. Our summers are not extremely hot as in the first settling ; and 

 our winters are generally severe. The north-west wind is very sharp in winter. 



