14 PROCEEDIXdS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
Days on the Ground, so it is never extream hot in Summer, and it is 
a rare thing to he frightened by any Thunder. It hears no venomous 
Creatures of any sort, and hardly any Fhes. — The liigh Winds clear 
the air, which makes it healthy; and nature hath furnished it with 
medicinal Plants and Shruhs: — It produces naturally near 20 
sorts of Berries, out of which some People suppose very good 
Liquors and Wines might he expressed — It looks all green in Winter 
with the Juniper Bushes and red in Summer with the large Straw- 
berries and other wild Fruits which it bears. — It hath abundance of 
wild or Beach Pease, which fatten the Cattle very well: — By several 
Pieces of petrified W'ood found there it is supposed that the Sand hath 
a Property of petrifying Wood. — Within these seven or eight Years 
Providence hath opened a Communication between the great Pond 
(fifteen Miles long) and the Sea, which hath made a safe and large 
Harbour, but the Entrance is barred so that large and sharp Vessels 
cannot get into it; but as there is about 8 Feet of Water over the Bar 
at high Water there is sufficient Passage (as we know by Experience) 
for Vessels of 30 Tuns or more, if not built Sharp. — The Ponds abound 
with Flounders and Eels; the Beech itself with Clams and Sand Eels; 
the Air with Fowls, and especially with black Ducks, so as to make 
money with their Feathers. The Soil is so natural for all sorts of Roots, 
especially Turnipe, that they are not only uncommonly sweet there but 
also uncommonly large, some weighing 7 Pounds a piece: — Rye grows 
there very naturally, and also Wheat at the Rate of 13 Bushels per 
acre. It is supposed that Flax would grow there very well; it would 
also produce Indian Corn well enough if the high Winds in the Fall 
did not break it: — There is neither Trees (but many Bushes) nor 
Stones. — The Grass is tall, thick and hath a very sweet taste and 
nourishing Property; there is some English Grass, but the other is 
more profitable, and there is enough to feed some thousand Heads 
of Cattle: — Horses breed and grow there without Care or Trouble; 
there is all Winter long Grass enough or near enough for them, so that 
they eat but little of the Hay which is made for them in the Summer 
or the Fall. — The raising of Sheep, Horn-Cattle, and especially of 
Horses is the most Advantagious (as for the Grain there are not above 
400 Acres where it may be raised). The Care of Gardens and Cattle 
take up our People's Time in Summer, in Winter they go to kill Seils 
and boil their Fat into Oyl, as well as that of Whales, which now and 
then are cast away dead upon the Beach. The Island finds them in 
