Observations of Andreas Hesselius on the Natural 

 History of Delaware During the Years 



1711-1724. 



[The manuscript from which the following article has been 

 printed was preserved among the ornithological papers of 

 Charles J. Pennock presented to Dr. Witmer Stone by Mrs. 

 Pennock for use in connection with the work of the Delaware 

 Valley Ornithological Club. The following explanation accom- 

 panies it. 



' ' Andreas Hesselius was a Swedish missionary sent over by 

 his government to the Swedish settlement at Christina on the 

 Delaware [now the city of Wilmington] in 1711. The manu- 

 script account of his experiences was examined by the late 

 Charles J. Stille, formerly president of the Historical Society of 

 Pennsylvania, in the Royal Library at Stockholm, in the sum- 

 mer of 1888. Under his orders is was translated and the copy 

 sent to the Historical Society. Here it was read by Albert 

 Cook Myers, who, noticing the frequent references to Natural 

 History which it contained, called my attention to it, and I 

 have had the following extracts copied out. Reference to West 

 India is frequently made, this being the early name applied to 

 this whole region. To add to the interest and to give a little 

 insight into the life and surroundings of the author the quota- 

 tions have not been strictly limited to ornithology. — C. J. 

 Pennock."] 



June 23, 1711. I became unexpectedly commissioned by the 

 royal government to go as a preacher to the Swedish parishes in 

 West India. From the Royal Exchequer and also from the 

 funds of the Custom Houses of divers places 2000 Daler silver 

 coin were allowed me and my assistant curate, Mr. Abraham 

 Lidelius, wherewith to defray the traveling expenses. 



October 5. In Gottenberg we went on board an English ship 

 called Judith, Captain Johan Hollen, where we, contrary to all 



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