Newcastle 



ticote, Manokin, and Pocomoke rivers, all of them 

 navigable, more or less, for several miles*." Such 

 was our conversation and entertainment during this 

 delightful voyage. 



Frederictow^n is a small village on the western 

 side of Sassafras river, built for the accommodation 

 of strangers and travellers; on the eastern side, 

 exactly opposite to it, is another small village (George- 

 town), erected for the same purpose. Having hired 

 an Italian chaise, with a servant and horse to attend 

 me as far as Philadelphia, I left Frederictown the 

 next day, and went to Newcastle, thirty-two miles. 



Newcastle is situated upon Delaware river, about 

 forty miles above the Bay, and a hundred from the 

 Capes. It is the capital of the three lower counties, 

 but a place of very little consideration; there are 

 scarcely more than a hundred houses in it, and no 

 public buildings that deserve to be taken notice of. 

 The church, Presbyterian and Quaker meeting- 

 houses, court-house, and market-house, are almost 

 equally bad, and undeserving of attention. 



The province, of which this is the capital, and 

 which is distinguished by the name of the Three 

 Lower Counties of Newcastle, Sussex, and Kent, 

 belonged formerly to the Dutch; but was ratified 

 to the crown of England by the treaty of Breda; it 

 was afterwards sold by the Duke of York to the 

 proprietor of Pennsylvania, and has continued a 



* He said from eighteen to fifty miles. 



[87] 



