C 177 3 
moderate breeze they went thirty-six miles an hour, 
which I can readily believe from the sail they car¬ 
ry, and the little resistance they meet with ; they 
stop them by throwing them in the wind. They 
say they are not attended with the smallest danger. 
Indeed I cannot see how they can upset.— Snow 
upon the ice, unless very deep, will not prevent the 
use of them, tho’ it may impede their velocity. 
I HAVE given you this description, my dear sir, 
from a belief that it would give you pleasure, and 
that it might be rendered useful upon our river; 
particularly when the ice is not strong enough to 
bear horses, either for the crossing a ferry, or ma¬ 
king a journey, or even for the transportation of 
boards from Albany to Fishkill, during the winter, 
for they may be made of any size, when they are to 
sail only before the wind ; because in that case 
there would be no strain on the runners but the 
weight. 
“ If you should find this account sufficiently im¬ 
portant you will be pleased to send an extract of 
this letter to the society for useful arts, agricul¬ 
ture, &c. in whose prosperity I continue to inter¬ 
est myself.” 
