Part 5

On the North side of _Charles River_ is _Charles Towne_, which is another necke of Land, on whose North-side runs _Misticke-river_. This Towne for all things, may be well paralel'd with her neighbour _Boston_, being in the same fashion with her bare necke, and constrained to borrow conveniences from the Maine, and to provide for themselves Farmes in the Countrey for their better subsistance. At this Towne there is kept a Ferry-boate, to conveigh passengers over _Charles River_, which betweene the two Townes is a quarter of a mile over, being a very deepe Channell. Here may ride forty ships at a time. Vp higher it is a broad Bay, being above two miles betweene the shores, into which runnes _Stony-river_, and _Muddy-river_. Towards the South-west in the middle of this Bay, is a great Oyster-banke: Towards the North-west of this Bay is a great Creeke, upon whose shore is situated the Village of _Medford_, a very fertile and pleasant place, and fit for more inhabitants than are yet in it. This Towne is a mile and a halfe from _Charles Towne_, and at the bottome of this Bay the River beginnes to be narrower, being but halfe a quarter of a mile broad. By the side of this River is built _New-towne_, which is three miles by land from _Charles Towne_, and a league and a halfe by water. This place was first intended for a City, but upon more serious considerations it was not thought so fit, being too farre from the Sea; being the greatest inconvenience it hath. This is one of the neatest and best compacted Townes in _New England_, having many faire structures, with many handsome contrived streets. The inhabitants most of them are very rich, and well stored with Cattell of all sorts; having many hundred Acres of ground paled in with one generall fence, which is about a mile and a halfe long, which secures all their weaker Cattle from the wilde beasts. On the other side of the River lieth all their Medow and Marsh-ground for Hay.

[Sidenote: _Water-towne._]

Halfe a mile Westward of this plantation, is _Water-towne_; a place nothing inferiour for land, wood, medow, and water to _New-towne_. Within halfe a mile of this Towne is a great Pond, which is divided betweene those two Townes, which divides their bounds Northward. A mile and a halfe from this Towne, is a fall of fresh waters, which conveigh themselves into the Ocean through _Charles River_. A little below this fall of waters, the inhabitants of _Water-towne_ have built a Wayre to catch Fish, wherein they take great store of _Shads_ and _Alewives_. In two Tydes they have gotten one hundred thousand of those Fishes: This is no small benefit to the plantation: Ships of small burden may come up to these two Townes, but the Oyster-bankes doe barre out the bigger Ships.

[Sidenote: _Misticke._]

The next Towne is _Misticke_, which is three miles from _Charles Towne_ by land, and a league and a halfe by water: It is seated by the waters side very pleasantly; there be not many houses as yet. At the head of this River are great and spacious Ponds, whither the _Alewives_ preasse to spawne. This being a noted place for that kinde of Fish, the _English_ resort thither to take them. On the West side of this River the Governour hath a Farme, where he keepes most of his Cattle. On the East side is Maister _Craddockes_ plantation, where he hath impaled a Parke, where he keepes his Cattle till he can store it with Deere: Here likewise he is at charges of building ships. The last yeare one was upon the Stockes of a hundred Tunne, that being finished, they are to build one twice her burden. Ships without either Ballast or loading, may floate downe this River; otherwise the Oyster-banke would hinder them which crosseth the Channell.

[Sidenote: _Winnisimet._]

[Sidenote: _Ilands there_]

The last Towne in the still Bay, is _Winnisimet_; a very sweet place for situation, and stands very commodiously, being fit to entertaine more planters than are yet seated: it is within a mile of _Charles Towne_, the River onely parting them. The chiefe Ilands which keepe out the Winde and the Sea from disturbing the Harbours, are first _Deare Iland_, which lies within a flight-shot of _Pullin-point_. This Iland is so called, because of the Deare which often swimme thither from the Maine, when they are chased by the Woolves: Some have killed sixteene Deere in a day upon this Iland. The opposite shore is called _Pullin-point_, because that is the usuall Channel. Boats use to passe thorow into the Bay; and the Tyde being very strong, they are constrayned to goe ashore, and hale their Boats by the seasing, or roades, whereupon it was called _Pullin-point_.

The next Iland of note is _Long Iland_, so called from his longitude. Divers other Ilands be within these: _viz._ _Nodles Ile_, _Round Ile_, the Governours Garden, where is planted an Orchard and a Vine-yard, with many other conveniences; and _Slate-Iland_, _Glasse-Iland_, _Bird-Iland_, _&c._ These Iles abound with Woods, and Water, and Medow-ground; and whatsoever the spacious fertile Maine affords. The inhabitants use to put their Cattle in these for safety, _viz._ their Rammes, Goates, and Swine, when their Corne is on the ground. Those Townes that lie without the Bay, are a great deale nearer the Maine, and reape a greater benefit from the Sea, in regard of the plenty both of Fish and Fowle, which they receive from thence: so that they liue more comfortably, and at lesse charges, than those that are more remote from the Sea in the Inland-plantations.

[Sidenote: _Saugus._]

[Sidenote: _Nahant._]

The next plantation is _Saugus_, sixe miles North-east from _Winnesimet_: This Towne is pleasant for situation, seated at the bottome of a Bay, which is made on the one side with the surrounding shore, and on the other side with a long sandy Beach. This sandy Beach is two miles long at the end, whereon is a necke of land called _Nahant_: It is sixe miles in circumference; well woodded with Oakes, Pines, and Cedars: It is beside well watered, having beside the fresh Springs, a great Pond in the middle; before which is a spacious Marsh. In this necke is store of good ground, fit for the Plow; but for the present it is onely used for to put young Cattle in, and weather-goates, and Swine, to secure them from the Woolues: a few posts and rayles from the low water-markes to the shore, keepes out the Woolves, and keepes in the Cattle. One _Blacke William_, an _Indian_ Duke, out of his generosity gave this place in generall to this plantation of _Saugus_, so that no other can appropriate it to himselfe.

Vpon the South-side of the sandy Beach the Sea beateth, which is a true prognostication, to presage stormes and foule weather, and the breaking up of the Frost: For when a storme hath beene, or is likely to be, it will roare like Thunder, being heard sixe miles; and after stormes casts up great store of great Clammes, which the _Indians_ taking out of their shels, carry home in baskets. On the North-side of this Bay is two great Marshes, which are made two by a pleasant River which runnes betweene them. Northward up this River, goes great store of Alewives, of which they make good Red Herrings; in so much that they have beene at charges to make a wayre, and a Herringhouse, to dry these Herrings in; the last yeare were dryed some 4 or 5 Last for an experiment, which proved very good; this is like to prove a great inrichment to the land, (being a staple commoditie in other Countries) for there be such innumerable companies in every river, that I have seene ten thousand taken in two houres by two men, without any wayre at all, saving a few stones to stop their passage up the river. There likewise come store of Basse, which the _Indians_ and _English_ catch with hooke and line, some fifty or threescore at a tide. At the mouth of this river runnes up a great creeke into that great Marsh, which is called _Rumny_ Marsh, which is 4 miles long and 2 miles broad; halfe of it being Marsh ground and halfe upland grasse, without tree or bush: this Marsh is crossed with divers creekes, wherein lye great store of Geese, and Duckes. There be convenient ponds for the planting of Duckcoyes. Here is likewise belonging to this place divers fresh meddowes, which afford good grasse and foure spacious ponds like little lakes, wherein is store of fresh fish: within a mile of the towne, out of which runnes a curious fresh brooke that is seldome frozen by reason of the warmenesse of the water; upon this streame is built a water Milne, and up this river comes Smelts and frost fish much bigger than a Gudgion. For wood there is no want, there being store of good Oakes, Wallnut, Cædar, Aspe, Elme; The ground is very good, in many places without trees, fit for the plough. In this plantation is more _English_ tillage, than in all new _England_, and _Virginia_ besides; which proved as well as could bee expected, the corne being very good especially the Barly, Rye, and Oates.

[Sidenote: _Salem._]

[Sidenote: _Agowam._]

[Sidenote: _Merrimack river._]

The land affordeth the inhabitants as many rarities as any place else, and the sea more: the Basse continuing from the middle of Aprill to _Michaelmas_, which stayes not above half that time in the Bay: besides here is a great deale of Rock-cod and Macrill, insomuch that shoales of Basse have driven up shoales of Macrill from one end of the sandie beach to the other, which the inhabitants have gathered up in wheel-barrowes. The Bay that lyeth before the Towne at a low spring tyde, will be all flatts for two miles together, upon which is great store of Musclebanckes, and Clam bancks, and Lobsters amongst the rockes and grassie holes. These flatts make it unnavigable for shippes, yet at high water great Boates, Loiters, and Pinnaces of 20, and 30 tun, may saile up to the plantation, but they neede have a skilfull Pilote, because of many dangerous rockes and foaming breakers, that lye at the mouth of that Bay. The very aspect of the place is fortification enough to keepe off an unknowne enemie, yet may it be fortified at a little charge, being but few landing places there about, and those obscure. Foure miles Northeast from _Saugus_ lyeth _Salem_, which stands on the middle of a necke of land very pleasantly, having a South river on the one side, and a North river on the other side: upon this necke where the most of the houses stand is very bad and sandie ground, yet for seaven yeares together it hath brought forth exceeding good corne, by being fished but every third yeare; in some places is very good ground, and very good timber, and divers springs hard by the sea side. Here likewise is store of fish, as Basses, Eeles, Lobsters, Clammes, &c. Although their land be none of the best, yet beyond those rivers is a very good soyle, where they have taken farmes, and get their Hay, and plant their corne; there they crosse these rivers with small Cannowes, which are made of whole pine trees, being about two foot & a half over, and 20. foote long: in these likewise they goe a fowling, sometimes two leagues to sea; there be more Cannowes in this towne than in all the whole Patent; every houshould having a water-house or two. This Towne wants an Alewife river, which is a great inconvenience; it hath two good harbours, the one being called Winter, and the other Summer harbour, which lyeth within _Derbies_ Fort, which place if it were well fortified, might keepe shippes from landing of forces in any of those two places. _Marvill Head_ is a place which lyeth 4 miles full South from _Salem_, and is a very convenient place for a plantation, especially for such as will set upon the trade of fishing. There was made here a ships loading of fish the last yeare, where still stands the stages, and drying scaffolds; here be good harbour for boates, and safe riding for shippes. _Agowamme_ is nine miles to the North from _Salem_, which is one of the most spatious places for a plantation, being neare the sea, it aboundeth with fish, and flesh of fowles and beasts, great Meads and Marshes and plaine plowing grounds, many good rivers and harbours and no rattle snakes. In a word, it is the best place but one, which is _Merrimacke_, lying 8 miles beyond it, where is a river 20 leagues navigable, all along the river side is fresh Marshes, in somes places 3 miles broad. In this river is Sturgeon, Sammon, and Basse, and divers other kinds of fish. To conclude, the Countrie hath not that which this place cannot yeeld. So that these two places may containe twice as many people as are yet in new _England_: there being as yet scarce any inhabitants in these two spacious places. Three miles beyond the river of _Merrimacke_ is the outside of our Patent for the _Massachusetts_ Bay. These be all the Townes that were begun, when I came for _England_, which was the 15 of August 1633.

CHAP. XI.

_Of the evills, and such things as are hurtfull in the Plantation._

I have informed you of the Country in generall and of every plantation in particular, with their commodities and wherein one excelleth another. Now that I may be every way faithfull to my reader in this worke, I will as fully and truely relate to you what is evill, and of most annoyance to the inhabitants. First: those which bring most prejudice to their estates are the ravenous Woolves, which destroy the weaker Cattell, but of these you have heard before: that which is most injurious to the person and life of man is a rattle snake which is generally a yard and a halfe long, as thicke in the middle as the small of a mans legge, she hath a yellow belly, her backe being spotted with blacke, russet, yellow, and greene colours, placed like scales; at her taile is a rattle, with which she makes a noyse when she is molested, or when she seeth any approach neere her, her necke seemes to be no thicker than a mans thumbe yet can she swallow a Squerill, having a great wide mouth, with teeth as sharpe as needles, wherewith she biteth such as tread upon her: her poyson lyeth in her teeth, for she hath no sting. When any man is bitten by any of these creatures, the poyson spreads so suddenly through the veines & so runs to the heart, that in one houre it causeth death, unlesse he hath the Antidote to expell the poyson, which is a root called snakeweed, which must be champed, the spittle swallowed, and the root applyed to the sore; this is present cure against that which would be present death without it: this weede is ranck poyson, if it be taken by any man that is not bitten: whosoever is bitten by these snakes his flesh becomes as spotted as a Leaper until hee be perfectly cured. It is reported that if the party live that is bitten, the snake will dye, and if the partie die, the snake will live. This is a most poysonous and dangerous creature, yet nothing so bad as the report goes of him in _England_. For whereas he is sayd to kill a man with his breath, and that he can flye, there is no such matter, for he is naturally the most sleepie and unnimble creature that lives, never offering to leape or bite any man, if he be not troden on first, and it is their desire in hot weather to lye in pathes, where the sunne may shine on them, where they will sleepe so soundly that I have knowne foure men stride over one of them, and never awake her; 5 or 6 men have beene bitten by them, which by using of snake weede were all cured, never any yet losing his life by them. Cowes have beene bitten, but being cut in divers places, and this weede thrust into their flesh were cured. I never heard of any beast that was yet lost by any of them, saving one Mare. A small switch will easily kill one of these snakes. In many places of the Countrie there bee none of them, as at _Plimouth_, _Newtowne_, _Igowamme_, _Nahant_, _&c._ In some places they will live on one side of the river, and swimming but over the water, as soone as they be come into the woods, they turne up their yellow bellies and dye. Vp into the Countrey westward from the plantations is a high hill, which is called rattlesnake hill, where there is great store of these poysonous creatures. There be divers other kinde of snakes, one whereof is a great long blacke snake, two yards in length which will glide through the woods very swiftly; these never doe any hurt, neither doth any other kinde of snakes molest either man or beast. These creatures in the winter time creepe into clifts of rockes and into holes under ground, where they lie close till May or Iune. Here likewise bee great store of frogs, which in the Spring doe chirpe and whistle like a bird, and at the latter end of summer croake like our English frogges. Heere be also toades which will climbe the topes of high trees where they will sit croaking, to the wonderment of such as are not acquainted with them. I never saw any Wormes or Moles, but pismires and spiders be there. There are likewise troublesome flies. First there is a wilde Bee or Waspe, which commonly guards the grape, building her cobweb habitation amongst the leaves: secondly a great greene flye, not much unlike our horse flyes in _England_; they will nippe so sore that they wil fetch blood either of man or beast, and be most troublesome where most Cattle be, which brings them from out of the woods to the houses; this flye continues but for the Moneth of Iune. The third is a Gurnipper which is a small blacke fly no bigger than a flea; her biting causeth an itching upon the hands or face, which provoketh scratching which is troublesome to some; this fly is busie but in close mornings or evenings, and continues not above three weekes, the least winde or heate expells them. The fourth is a Musketoe which is not unlike to our gnats in _England_; In places where there is no thicke woods or Swampes, there is none or very few. In new Plantations they be troublesome for the first yeare, but the wood decaying they vanish: these Flies cannot endure winde, heate or cold, so that these are onely troublesome in close thicke weather, and against raine many that be bitten will fall a scratching, whereupon their faces and hands swell. Others are never troubled with them at all: those likewise that swell with their biting the first yeare, never swell the second: for my owne part I have bin troubled as much with them or some like them, in the Fen country of _England_ as ever I was there: Here be the flies that are called Chantharides, so much esteemed of Chirurgions, with divers kinds of Butterflies. Thus have you heard of the worst of the countrey: but some peradventure may say no, and reply that they have heard that the people have beene often driven to great wants and extremities; To which I answer, it is true that some have lived for a certaine time with a little bread, other without any, yet all this argues nothing against the countrey in it selfe, but condemnes the folly and improvidence of such as would venture into so rude and unmanaged a countrey, without so much provisions as should have comfortably maintained them in health and strength till by their labours they had brought the land to yeeld his fruite. I have my selfe heard some say that they heard it was a rich land, a brave country, but when they came there they could see nothing but a few Canvis Boothes & old houses, supposing at the first to have found walled townes, fortifications and corne fields, as if townes could have built themselves, or corne fields have growne of themselves, without the husbandrie of man. These men missing of their expectations, returned home and railed against the Country. Others may object that of late time there hath beene great want; I denie it not, but looke to the originall, and tell me from whence it came. The roote of their want sprung up in _England_, for many hundreds hearing of the plenty of the Country, were so much their owne foes and Countries hindrance, as to come without provision; which made things both deare and scant: wherefore let none blame the Country so much as condemne the indiscreetnesse of such as will needs runne themselves upon hardship. And I dare further assure any that will carrie provision enough for a yeare and a halfe, shall not neede to feare want, if he either be industrious himselfe, or have industrious agents to mannage his estate and affaires. And whereas many doe disparrage the land saying a man cannot live without labour, in that they more disparage and discredit themselves, in giving the world occasion to take notice of their droanish disposition, that would live of the sweate of another mans browes: surely they were much deceived, or else ill informed, that ventured thither in hope to live in plenty and idlenesse, both at a time: and it is as much pitty as he that can worke and will not, should eate, as it is pitty that he that would worke and cannot, should fast. I condemne not such therefore as are now there, and are not able to worke; but I advise for the future those men that are of weake constitutions to keepe at home, if their estates cannot maintaine servants. For all new _England_ must be workers in some kinde: and whereas it hath beene formerly reported that boyes of tenne or a twelve yeares of age might doe much more than get their living, that cannot be, for he must have more than a boyes head, and no lesse than a mans strength, that intends to live comfortably; and hee that hath understanding and Industrie, with a stocke of an hundered pound, shall live better there, than he shall doe here of twenty pound _per annum_. But many I know will say if it be thus, how comes it to passe then that they are so poore? To which I answere, that they are poore but in comparison, compare them with the rich Merchants or great landed men in _England_, and then I know they will seeme poore. There is no probability they should be exceeding rich, because none of such great estate went over yet; besides, a man of estate must first scatter before he gather, he must lay out monies for transporting of servants, and cattle and goods, for houses and fences and gardens, &c. This may make his purse seeme light, and to the eye of others seeme a leaking in his estate, whereas these disbursments are for his future enrichments: for he being once well seated and quietly setled, his increase comes in double; and howsoever they are accounted poore, they are well contented, and looke not so much at abundance, as a competencie; so little is the poverty of the Country, that I am perswaded if many in _England_ which are constrained to begge their bread were there, they would live better than many doe here, that have money to buy it. Furthermore when corne is scarse, yet may they have either fish or flesh for their labour: and surely that place is not miserably poore to them that are there, where foure Egges may be had for a Penny, and a quart of new Milke at the same rate: Where Butter is sixe-pence a pound, and Cheshire-Cheese at five pence; sure _Middlesex_ affords _London_ no better penny-worths. What though there be no such plenty, as to cry these things in the streetes? yet every day affords these penny-worths to those that neede them in most places. I dare not say in all: Can they be very poore, where for foure thousand soules, there are fifteene hundred head of Cattle, besides foure thousand Goates, and Swine innumerable? In an ill sheepe-yeare I have knowne Mutton as deere in _Old-England_, and deerer than Goates-flesh is in _New-England_, which is altogether as good if fancy be set aside.

CHAP. XII.

_What provision is to be made for a Iourney at Sea, and what to carry with us for our use at Land._