ARTICLE I. A general View of Navigation and Colonies in remote Times.

IN Trade and Navigation, as in all other Affairs of Antiquity, we are not to go too far back; in [...]he very remote Ages, the Antients did much indulge a Poetical, florid Rhetorical, Enigmatical, and Mytholo [...]gical Vein; it is not possible at this Distance of Time and Place, to distinguish between their true and fabulous Relations: Their Histories and all other Matters were wrote in Verse, admitting of many Poetical Fancies ^*.

[Page 18]Doubtless from Time to Time by Famine, Pestilence, and some implacable Sword, whole Countries have been depopulated, and consequently their Records destroyed; we find that we cannot with any Certainty go back ex­ceeding 2500 Years. From what we may collect, we find, that China, the East-Indies, and Arabians are prior to us in Trade and Navigation; at present we have much the Advantage of them.

In the Revolution of Ages, the several Countries upon the Earth have been depopulated by Pestilence, Famine or Wars; and afterwards settled from other Countries; thus the Origin of the several Countries must be very various and uncertain. The Plains and overflowed Lands, called Interval Lands in New-England, upon the Banks of the Tigris and Euphrates in Chaldea, and of the Nile in Egypt, being very fertile and pleasant, enticed People to settle them in a compact Political improving Manner; therefore our first certain Records of Things seem to originate there. ^†

Amongst the Aborigines, the ARABIANS or Saracens have been Time out of Mind, and are at present the prin­cipal Aboriginal Navigators of the East-India Seas. The Arabian Moors or Mahometans, long before we navigat [...]d these Parts, sent Colonies to almost all their Sea Coasts and Islands, and drove the Natives up into the Moun­tains. The Arabians and Egyptians for many Ages navi­gated the Red Sea and Indian Sea. We had Indian Spices in Europe above 2000 Years. Suez, the antient Arsinoe in N. Lat. 30 d. was the Barcadier or Sea-Port [Page] of Grand Cairo for the Red Sea, distant 4 [...] The Arabian Gulph was the most [...] upon Account of the East India Trade, [...] doubled the Cape of Good Hope. [...] their Situation upon the Red Sea, drove [...] between the Indies and the Egyptians, [...] Time the greatest Trade of the know [...] from the Saracen Navigation and Colonie [...] and Africa, excepting the Tartars, China ▪ [...] insignificant Pagans; are of the [...] Doubtless, for the same Reason, all [...] of Time will become Christians. The [...] was and is very considerable, [...] is not one navigable River in all Arabia [...] [...] and Moors had several Colonies in [...] totally drove out of Spain, until Anno [...]

After the Egyptians and Arabians, [...] became the principal Navigators, first [...] the Tyrians, and afterward their famous [...]. The Phaenicians were [...] who fled from the Red-Sea to the [...] CHRIST 1047 Years; being used to [...] Traffick in the Indies; they began the [...] in the Mediterranean Sea to Greece, &c. [...] of their Wars with the Edomites made [...] native Habitations and settle upon [...] They were the first who directed the [...] Stars in the Night Time (the Magneti [...] [...] is a modern Discovery) their first [...] Ships with Sails and one Order of Oars. [...] Colonies abroad, viz. Byzantiun or [...] Byrsa or the famous Carthage in Barbary [...] in Spain, Cassiteredes (Tin Islands) Sicily [...] in Great-Britain, &c: Carthage [...] trading antient Phaenician Colony [...] before CHRIST, were Masters and set [...] along the N. W. Coast of Barbary, in [...] or Canaries, and in the Hesperides or [...] [Page 20] in N. Lat. 15 d: they had Colonies in the Baleares In­sulae (Majorca Minorca & Yvica) in Sardinia and Sicily. Carthage was for many Years the Emporium or Mart of Trade in the West, as Corinth in Greece was the Empo­rium of the East: they were both destroy'd about the same Time by the Romans 146 Years before CHRIST.

The Assyrians, an Inland People, had no Notion of Navigation: by conquering Egypt and Phaenicia, put a Damp to Trade and Navigation: After some Time a new Tyre was built, and the Tyreans flourished more than before, until Alexander the Great, a Royal Knight errant, destroy'd the City and sold the Inhabitants for Slaves.

In the History of Navigation and Colony Settlers, next were the GREEKS; at first more for War Expeditions and Invasions than for Traffick. The first Account, that we have of a long Ship was that of Argos ^*, who about 53 Years after Solomon, or 939 Years before CHRIST, according to the Computation of the most ingenious (I wish our Language, as the Dutch, would admit of a Degree of Comparison, above the Superlative) and penetrating Sir Isaac Newton, in his Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms amended. The A [...]gonouts were the Flower of Greece, fitted out to persuade the Nations upon the Coasts of the Euxine and Mediterranean Seas, to revolt from Egypt; they were a Parcel of Jolly young Gentlemen, viz. Castor and Pollux, Esculapius, Orpheus, Hercules, Deucalion the Son of Minos, Bacchus's Sons, &c.

The several Graecian Republicks had their Turns of Fortune of being more or less potent at Sea, the Cypriots were the most noted for Commerce. They settled Colo­nies in the Southern Parts of Italy and in Sicily, calling it Magna Graecia; this Name was afterwards confined to Calabria Superior in the Kingdom of Naples; they built [Page 21] Marseilles in Provence in France; they had Settlements near Barcelona in Spain.

Before CHRIST, 885 Years, The Corinthians began to improve Navigation by large Ships and Triremes. ^†

Thucydedes says, That in the 29th Olympiad was the oldest Sea-fight mentioned in History, it was about 657 Year [...] before CHRIST, between the Corinthians and Corcy­reans of Corfu. The Athenians (whose Continent Do­minions were not larger than Yorkshire) assisted the Corcy­reans, the Lacedemonians aided the Carthaginians (the La­cedemonians were more powerful by Land, but the Athe­nians were more powerful by Sea) this gave Occasion to the famous Poloponesian War, the Subject of Thucidades History: on one Side and the other, almost all Greece were engaged. The Athenians and Lacedemonians disputed the Empire of the Sea for some Time.

During the intestine Fueds of the Graecian Common­wealths; Philip King of Macedon, invaded and conquered the Countries in his Neighbourhood, and at Sea enriched himself by Pyracies, and put an end to the Graecian Liberties. His Son Alexander the Great, proceeded to the Levant, and conquered (committe [...] Murders and [Page 22] Robbery) so far as the River Indus: ^* Upon his Return, intoxicated with Wine, and his youthful Vanity from Conquests, he died at Babylon; and his Depredations (they deserve no better Name) were canton'd amongst [...] Generals in their several Stations or Commands, who, after some Bickerings, agreed to an Uti Possidetis.

Next in Course, at Sea appeared the ROMANS, who at first (like the present Turks) did only mind Conquest, not Trade; but in Process of Time, finding that the Corinthians and Carthaginians, having the Dominion of the Seas, so as to land and make Depredations where they pleased; to keep them within Bounds, the Romans were obliged to mind the Sea out of Necessity, ^† and were both destroy'd about the same Time by the Romans; a great Wound to Trade.

Iulius Caesar invaded Great Britain from France in very small Vessels or Craft, they were all built and fitted in two Months: The Britains at that Time had no Navigation; they were reduced to a Roman Pro­vince, not a Colony, and continued so above 400 Years. As the People of Britain at that Time were a Sort of Sylvestres, Wild People like our American Indians, Scots Highlanders, Miquelets of Spain, or Montenagrins: all parti [...]lar Accounts of Great-Britain may be reputed as fab [...]us before Caesar's Time. Upon the Swarming or Emigration of the Northern Barbarians, the Roman Troops in Great-Britain were recalled to the Defence of their own Country: a Party of the same Northern Nations called Saxons, embraced the Opportunity, invaded Great-Britain in that Part of it now called England; and one [Page 23] of their considerable Tribes, the Angles, gave Name to the Country.

Pirates in the Mediterranean Sea have been formidable, BELLUM PIRATICUM is sometimes recorded by the Roman Historians. Pompey was delegated for one of these Pirate Wars, and in the space of four Months (to his great Honour and Glory, as it is said) reduced all the Pirates.

The Romans with their Conquests and Colonies intro­duced their own Language ^* all over Italy, into France, Spain and Portugal, where it continues to this Day, but much intermixed with the Languages of the Aboriginals, and of some Foreigners, who invaded them from Time to Time. In other Nations, which submitted to the Romans rather for Patronage or Protection than by Con­quest (the Romans were at that Time the general Ar­bitrators of all the known civilized Nations ^†) the Roman Language or Latin did not prevail.

The GOTHS, Vandals and other Barbarous Nations, who swarmed from the Northern Parts of Europe, and like Locusts or Caterpillars, over-run the Southern Parts of Europe; may be said, generally, to have superseded the Romans; they had no Notion of Navigation and a Sea-Trade, and did not in the least apply themselves that Way. Of these only the NORMANS and Danes (a sort of Pirates became potent at Sea; their first Expe­dition into Great-Britain was about Anno 800. ^** They settled a Colony in the North Parts of France, and called it Normandy; in a Course of Years they made Depre­dations and some Settlements along the Coasts of Saxony, Flanders, Britain, and France; as a Monument of this, there is to be found on the Sea-Coasts of those Countries, [Page 24] to this Day, Blond Complexions, red and yellowish Hairs. This Norman Colony in France called Normandy, (I shall not say, conquered England) in Process of Time gave a King to England, called WILLIAM the Conqueror, whose Establishment continues to this Day.

While the Mahometan Saracens prevailed, they were for a considerable Time Masters of the Seas (especially of the Mediterranean from the Red Sea to Hercules's Pillars) in the Southern Parts of Europe while the Normans ravaged the Northern Parts. The Moors and Saracens reduced the greatest Part of Spain Anno 714, and were not totally subjugated by the Aboriginal Spaniards until Anno 1492 ^*: The Spanish Blood is much tainted with the Morasco.

The next and last Set to be mentioned in this Article, are the several REPUBLICKS IN ITALY ( Venetians, Genoes, Florentines, Pisans) and Catalonia in Spain; they carried on the Trade and Navigation of the Southern Parts: and the HANS TOWNS in Germany; they had the Trade and Navigation of the Northern Parts of Europe. Their Intercourse was generally at Sluys and Bruges in Flanders; and exchanged or barter'd Naval Stores, Woollens, Linnens, &c. for Persian and East-India Goods, and Spices, &c. which in Part were purchased at Grand Cairo, but mostly brought over Land in Caravans to several Barcadiers or Sea-Ports in the Bottom of the Mediter­ranean Sea.

The Genoes had many Colonies in Lesser Asia and upon the Euxine Sea, and drove a great Trade there: In the beginning of the 13th Century, they were in Possession of Nice and Uintimiglia in Italy, of Tyre in Syria, of Ceuta in Barbary, of Corsica and Sardinia: their Families of Doria and Spignola, had the principal Administration.

[Page 25]The Venetians formerly were in Possession of Candia and of all the Islands in the Archipelago and Ionian Sea: in short, their becoming so rich and powerful, gave Jealousy and Umbrage to the other Sovereignties in Europe, and occasion'd the famous League of Cambray, Anno 1508.

The first Discoveries made in America were generally by Italian Navigators or of Italian Extract (Columbus in the Spanish Service, Cabots in the English, Americus Vespucius in the Portuguese, Veruzani in the French Ser­vice, &c.) employed by several European Princes.

The Hans Towns were an Association of several Trading Towns in Germany, at a Time they were in Number about 70 Hans Towns, they are at present re­duced to four (there is constantly an English Resident or Minister with the Hans Towns) Lubeck on the River Trave the Principal; Dantzick on the Weissel or Vis­tula, Hamburg on the Elbe, and Bre [...]n on the Weser: all these are free Towns with a territo [...]al District.

The Venetians, more particularly, becoming vastly rich by their Trade in East-India Goods and Spices; set sundry Princes of Europe upon projecting a navigable (consequently less chargeable Way, so as to undersell the Venetians, and out them of that Trade) and usefully prac­ticable Passage from Europe, to the rich Produce and Manufactures of the East. This leads to the Subject of the following Article.

ARTICLE 2. Concerning the several Essays or Adventures, towards discovering navigable Passages from Europe to the East-Indies, China, and the Spice Islands.

IT is said, That one great Inducement to Columbus's Adventure Westward, was to try for a Western Na­vigation to the Spice Islands; and luckily, by Islands and a great Continent intercepting him, America was discovered.

As the several great Continents of Europe and Africa Eastward, and America Westward lay in the Way; the Case was, how to double the extreme North or South Points or Lands-Ends of these Continents; or to find some pr c­ticable [Page 26] Straits or Thorough-Fares in these Continents.

Before we proceed, we shall insert by way of Amuse­ment, as not impertinent to the Subject, the following Digression.

Some Dutch Fishers missing of Whales, are said to have sailed in Quest of them, several Degrees North of Cape Purchas of East Greenland, which lies in N. Lat. 82 d; there was no Ice, only an open Sea, but very hollow. Whalers say, that the further North, on Spitsbergen, or East Greenland, they found the greater Plenty of Grass, and other green Herbs; therefore towards the Pole it must be hotter: This seems to be probable from the Na­ture of Things: In Iune at the North Pole the Sun is 23 d. 30 m. high, and for some Months always above the Horizon; whereas, for Instance, at London, the Me­tropolis of Great-Britain, in N. Lat. 51 d. 30 m. the Sun in December is only about 15 d. high, and only for one Third of its Revolution or Day, above the Horizon.

M. Frazier, a French Navigator, says, in the Account of his South-Sea Voyages; that on the 13th of March 1714, N. S. in returning to France, South of Cape Horn, in Lat. 58 d. 30 m. and 68 d. 30 m. W. Longitude from Paris, he discovered several Islands of Ice, whereof one was four or five Leagues long; Ice is not frequently met with hereabouts, and as Ice is formed by an Adherence to some Land or Shore, there must be Land towards the South Pole; but not within 63 d. S. Lat. for the Extent of about 200 Leagues from 55 d. to 80 d. West Long. from Paris; because this Space has been run by several Ships, which the S. W. and S. S. W. Winds have oblig­ed to stand far to the Southward, to weather Cape-Horn, the Lands-End of South-America, in 55 d. 55 m. S. Lat. This is the Reason, why that Chimera or Fancy of a Terra Australis is at present left out of our Charts or Maps. If Lands are discovered South of 64 d. S. Lat. they must be inhospitable and uninhabitable, considering that the Weather is more stormy, and Winters more rigid, in the high South Latitudes, than in the same Northern Lati­tudes; [Page 27] the same Climates South of the Equator, are much colder than to the Northward of the Equator.

The Southern Latitudes are much colder, than in the same Degrees of Northern Latitudes. 1. The Sun is annually eight Days longer on the Northern Side of the Equinoctial than on its Southern Side. 2. The Sun in our North Country Winters is in Perigee, that is, nearer the Earth, than in the Southern Winters, being then in his Apogee. 3. The highest Cod-Fishery according to Capt. Frazier, in the Southern Latitudes is in 31 d. S. Lat; our Cod Fishery in North-America (there are some stragling Cod-Fish caught more to the Southward) extends to Nan­tucket New-England in 41 d. N. Lat: Therefore 41 d. N. Lat. is nearly of the same Temper or Coolness as 31 d. S. Lat.

To obtain navigable Passages, into the Indian and South Seas, the extreme North and South Promontories or Lands-Ends of the several Continents above-mention­ed, were to be doubled. They are reduceable to four, viz. 1. The S. E. Passage by doubling the Cape of Good Hope the South Point of Africa. 2. The S. W. Pas­sage by doubling Cape Horn the South Point of America, Megallan's Streights is a Thorough-Fare. 3. The N. E. Passage, North of the North Cape of Europe, but hither­to not discovered. 4 The N. W. Passage, or rather Thorough-Fare between the North Shore of America, and the South Shore of West-Greenland, commonly called Da­vis's Streights (to double the North Parts of this West-Greenland, has hitherto not been imagined) this has at Times been endeavoured in the last Century and half, M. Dobbs is at present, in Pursuit of it. Lastly, We shall men­tion some Tentatives for discovering Thorough-Fares in several Openings in the Body of the Continentof America.

The Antients had no Knowledge of Countries South of the Equator. Iohn I. of Portugal, conquer'd Ceuta from the Moors, 1409; Henry, third Son of K. Iohn, much in the Humour of Navigation Discoveries; by his Encouragement, the Portuguese began Anno 1418, to range the West Coast of Africa: 1438 Alphonsus V. [Page 28] took Tongier, and ranged so far as Cape Negroe in 16 d. South Latitude, ^† and to this Day have several Colonies with territorial Jurisdiction from thence to 7 d. S. Lat. in Congo, Angola, and Loango. Anno 1442, the Portuguese obtain'd of the Pope a Grant of all Lands, laying S. and E. of Cape Bajador on W. Side of Africa, 26 d. 30 m. N. Lat. In the Reign of Emanuel 1497, Vasquez de Gamma doubles the Cape, they had discovered this Cape Anno 1487, and called it the Cape of Good-Hope, in Expectati­on of doubling it; thence they coasted along the Eastern Shore of Africa, from Cape Negroe on the West Side of Africa, 16 d. S. Lat. round ( Cape of Good-Hope, a Dutch Place of Refreshment excepted) to Rio de Spirito Santo in S. Lat. 18 d. on the East Shore of Africa, is a very wild and savage Country, no European Settlers; but from 18 d. S. Lat. to 5 d. N. Lat. the Portuguese have Possessions, the chief being Mozembique in 15 d. S. Lat. and Melinda in 2 d. 30 m. S. Lat.

From the Eastern Coast of Africa, the Portuguese sail'd over to the Malabar Coast on the Indian Peninsula. The next Portugal Expedition for the East-Indies, was drove upon the Coast of Brazil, and after taking Possession of it, proceeded to the Malabar Coast. Anno 1510, Albu­kerk reduces Goa, takes Amboyna, Banda, and some other of the Molucca Islands, and returns home richly loaden with Spices. They sail'd along the Coast of China; thus during the Reign of their good King Emanuel, who died [Page 29] Anno 1521, they carried all before them at Sea, and su­perseded the Venetians in a Trade which they had enjoy'd ever since Anno 1260. Having purchased of Charles V, Emperor, his Claim as King of Spain, of a pretended Priority of Discovery in the Spice Islands; they solely enjoy'd without Molestation for near a Century of Years the famous and profitable Trade and Navigation to the East-Indies; as Spain did that to the West-Indies.

Henry, King of Portugal, dying without Children Anno 1580; K. Philip by a powerful Army under the Duke d' Alva reduces Portugal, he claim'd it in Right of his Mother Elizabeth the Empress; Spain became Master of all the Portuguese Dominions and rich Trade; [...]eing in the Height of Glory, after a few Years; Anno 1588 the King of Spain fits out the Invincible Armada (as he calle [...] [...]it) against England.

The Dutch ^† at this Time, as revolted from the Dominions of Spain, were prohibited by the King [Page 30] of Spain, to trade to Portugal, the only Emporium of East India Spices and other Goods: This occasi­o [...]ed their Endeavours to sail directly to the East-Indies, and Spice-Islands: they first attempted a N.E. Passage by Waygatz Streights, but in vain; afterwards Anno 1595, without Ceremony, they double the Cape of Good-Hope, seized several of the Spanish or Portuguese Colonies, got a great Footing in the East-Indies, and have established a great Trade, and settled many considerable Colonies.

Upon the Expiration of the 12 Years Truce between Spai [...] and Holland, Anno 1621, the Dutch made several successful Expeditions to Brazil (at the same Time made some Settlements in Guiana) and got some Footing there. P. Maurice was appointed Governor, and resided there from Anno 1637 to Anno 1644; for Want of Supplie [...] he left it and returned home: the Dutch having a bette [...] Game to play in the East-Indies, from whence they almost outed the Portuguese, they gave Way in the Brazils, and after some Years the Portuguese recovered it entirely by Anno 1660.

The following Digression, may perhaps be an agreeable Amusement to some Readers.

To make some Estimate of the Dutch East India Whaling, and Suga [...] Trade (which with their Herring Fishery, and Carrying, are the Branches of their Traffick) we shall instance the Year 1738 (perhaps a Medium Year [Page 31] of Business) that Year arrived in the Texel, for Amsterdam, and the small Towns in the Zuyder Zee, from the East-Indies 15 Ships, from East Greenland, or Spitzbergen 92 Whalers, from West Greenland or Davis's Streights Whalers 55; with Sugar, Coffee, Cocoa, from Surinam 36, Curaso 11, other Places in the West-Indies 14.

The Dutch at first carried on their Trade in the East-Indies, by Factories in several Parts; afterwards they settle [...] Colonies with a Territorial Jurisdiction; they did not fully monopolize the Trade, until 1635. The Subscription for a Company Trade was 6,440,200 Gilders or Florins.

The whole Trade is supposed divided into sixteen Parts, and the Company into six Chambers, each Chamber hav­ing Parts nearly in Proportion to their Subscription; o [...] those sixteen Parts 8 belong to the Chamber of Amster­dam, 4 to Zealand, 1 to Rotterdam, 1 to Delft, 1 to Horn, and 1 to Enchuysen: each Chamber has a peculiar Board of Directors called in Dutch Bewindhebbers; the Chamber of Amsterdam consists of 20 Directors, that of Zealand consists of 12 Directors, the other four Chambers each consists of 7 Directors: The grand Affairs of the united Chambers, are managed by a grand Council, which sits at Amsterdam for six Years, and at Middleborough in Zealand for two Years, alternately; this general Council consists of a Deputation from each of the six Chambers, Amsterdam sends 8 Deputies, Zealand 4 Deputies, the other four Chambers send 1 Deputy each; and a seventeenth (this Council consists of 17) is chose alternately by the six Chambers, and is President or Chairman.

This Company is vastly rich, an Original Share of 3,000 Gilders (3,000 is reckoned a high Share) has been sold frequently at 20,000 Gilders; notwithstanding of their great annual Charges in building and repairing Forti­fications, Ships, Store-Houses, Salaries, Soldiers Pay, &c. amounting sometimes to upwards of a Million and a half Gilders per Annum. They are the most powerful private Society in the World, some think them more powerful than the Government of their own seven United Provinces at home in Europe: they have at Times lent the Govern­ment [Page 32] or States General, great Sums of Money for con­tinuing their Privileges; Anno 1688 they lent the States General 8,000,000 Gilders for continuing their Privileges to Anno 1740. It has been thought, that if the Dutch (I mean their People of Quality and Fortune) should at any Time foresee a certain Danger of being reduced by a more potent Neighbour; they would transport their Fa­milies and Effects to the East-Indies, where they are Ma­sters of the Sea: thus, in ancient Times, the Tyrians when in apparent Danger of being reduced by Alexander the Great, sent their Wives, Children and Effects to Carthage. This Company exports very little Bullion from Holland (the English East-India Company export too much Silver) their Spices vended in that Country, purchases all the o­ther Goods they may have Occasion for. The English East India Company in some Articles of Trade, have the Advantage of the Dutch; for in Fact, the Hollanders buy near half the Goods sold at the English East-India Sales.

The Seat of Government for all the Dutch East-India Colonies and Factories is at Batavia; here resides their Governor-General with much greater State, than the Pre­sident of the States-General of the United Provinces. The Governor-General is chosen by the Company, with the Approbation of the States-General; he is elected only for three Years, but frequently continued for Life; he has a Council of Six, viz. The Major General, a military Officer; Director-General, who has the Inspection of the Trade, and gives Orders or Instructions to all under Di­rectors, Factors, Supercargoes, and Masters or Skippers, with Four more named by the Company. In very good Policy, they have an Independent Court of Judicature for civil and criminal Matters, to whom the Governor-Ge­neral is subject, and by whom he may be condemned even to Death. Under the Governor-General are six conside­rable Governments or Colonies; each has a Governor, Director of Trade, besides several lesser Govern­ments, Commanderies and Factories. This being only a Digression, I must forbear to enumerate more Particulars. As the above Observations are not publick, that is in Print, I hope they may be acceptable.

[Page]II. A short History of the S. W. Passages [...] to the Mare del Zur South Sea, or Pacifick [...] to the East-Indies, or China and the Spice [...] the Portugueze formerly claimed an [...] by the S. E. Passage, in like Manner the [...] to the exclusive Navigation of the S. [...] to the East-Indies. For the better [...] Affair, we may previously observe ^*,

The Reason why several Princes of [...] other Passages besides that of the S. E. [...] Good Hope to the Spice Islands and the [...] as follows. Ever since Anno 1410, the [...] with infinite Labour and much [...] the West Coast of Africk to gain a Passage [...] Indies; Anno 1442, they obtained of the [...] a Grant of the sole Navigation of Seas and [...] Lands laying S. and E. of Cape Bajador N▪ [...] W. from London 15 d. in Africa; this [...] Good Hope and the S. E. Passage.

The Pope Anno 1493, having granted to [...] all Lands beginning 100 Leagues West [...] or Western Islands (belonging to [...] indefinitely; occasioned a Dispute between [...] and Portugueze. Th [...] Portugueze reckoning [...] Discovery of America Anno 1492, and this [...] upon their Right to the Ocean, [...] Navigators of this Ocean, complained to [...] VI. Anno 1493: He composed this [...] the Limits of a Meridian called, the Line of [...] on Degrees West of St. Antonio the [...] [Page 34] the C [...]pe de Ver [...] Islands: St. Antonio lies 25 d. West from London ^†.

As the Pope at that Time, and for many Years fol­lowing, was universally in Europe regarded, as the sole and absolute Arbitrator, or rather Disposer of all Domini­o [...] upon Earth; the other Princes of Europe did impli­citly acquiesce in this fantastical, or rather FANATICAL Division of the Globe of Earth (its Parts to be discover­ed) between the Spaniards and Portugueze; and for near a Century all the Traffick of the East and West-Indies was engrossed respectively by the Portugueze and Spani­ards; but in Process of Time, the British, French and Dutch have got into their Hands the greatest Part of this Traffick; Gold, Silver, and precious Stones excepted.

There are three different South West Passages.

1. The Straits of Magellan (it is properly a Thorough-fare, but near the Land's End of America) the East En­trance lies in 52 d. 30 m. S. Lat. its West Entrance in 53 d. S. Lat; in all its Turnings about 116 Leagues long, Cape Q [...]aad not above 4 Miles wide, at Batchellors River 50 Leagues from its East Entrance the Flood begins to come from the Westward and makes a ripling with the Ea [...]ern Flood. After the beginning of May to the End of Sept. these Straits are so full of Ice with fixed stormy Wes­terly Winds there is no passing; at other Times It is very difficult and tedious, therefore it is now disused. Trees grow here to a considerable Bigness; there are no [Page 35] [...] Trees in these Southern Latitudes, the like Northern Latitudes abound with them. ^†

Ferdinand Magellanez a Native of Portugal, not suffi­ciently rewarded for his many good Services in the Por­tugueze Discoveries, offer'd his Service to the Emperor Charles V. King of Spain, to find a Passage to the Spice Islands by sailing Westward, without any Violation of the Pope's Bull or of the Agreement with Portugal: with five Ships and 300 Men he sa [...]l'd from S [...]vile in Sp [...]in August 10. Anno 1519; he wooded and watered on th [...] Coast of Brazil in 22 d. S. Lat; he first, but in vain, attempted a Passage by the River of Plate, he discover'd and passed the Straits of his own Name November Anno 1520, he proceeded to the Ladrones and Philippine Islands where he was killed in a Skirmish with the Indians; his Ships proceed and arrived at the Moluccas or Spice Islands in November 1521, ^* and settled a Colony, they loaded with Spices, and by Way of the Cape of Good Hope, in three Years returned to Spain. After Megellan's Pas­s [...]ge, it was discontinued (being represented so very dif­ficult) for many Years. Camerga a Spaniard is said to have passed it Anno 1539.

Capt. Francis Drake is reckoned the Second who cir­cumnavigated our Globe or Earth by passing the Straits of Magellan, w [...]h five Ships 164 Men, he sail'd from Plymouth, Dec. 13. Anno 1577, he passed the Straits of Ma­gellan in Sept. Anno 1578, after a very difficult Navigation [Page 36] of sixteen Days, he got much Treasure along the Coast of Chili and Peru, sail'd so far North as 43 d. N. Lat. the Inclemency of the Weather obliged him to return South­ward, he took Possession in Form of the N. W. Parts of California for the Crown of England, and called it NEW-ALBION. He arrived at Ternate one of the Molucca or Spice-Islands Nov. 14, Anno 1579, and loaded a Quan­tity of Cloves; arrived in England, Nov. 3. 1580. He was knighted aboard of his own Ship by Queen Eliza­beth. ^† His Journal differed one Day from the Account of Time in England. ^|

[Page 37]Capt. Thomas Cavendish (he was afterward knighted) was the third Adventurer and Circum-navigator by this Strait, having passed, he distressed the Spaniards very much along the South-Sea Shore, he touched at [...] ­fornia, took an Aquapulco Ship, touched at the Philip [...] Islands and Iava, he doubled the Cape of Good Hope, touch­ed at St. Helena in 15 d. S. Lat; with much Booty and Glory, he arrived at Plymouth, Sept. 9. Anno 1591.

The Spaniards having found two Land-passes or Con­veyances, viz. The Isthmus o [...] Darien, and from the Ri­ver of Plate cross the Andes to the South-Seas, they dis­continued this Navigation. Oliver Nort, Anno 1598, and George Spilbergen, Anno 161 [...], Dutch Men passed. Sir Iohn Narborough, fitted out by King Charles II. and the Duke of York, sail'd from England May 15. Anno 1669, was only six Months from B [...]ldivi [...] in [...]ili to England, he repassed the Straits of Magellan, and made the Lizard, June 10, 1671, was only one Year and nine Months in his Voyage. M. de B [...]chesne a French Man (perhaps the last in this Navigation) passed Anno 1699, he returned S. of Cape-Horn without making Land.

2. The Passage by Straits Le Maire and Cape Horn. This Strait lies between Terra del Fouego and Staten Is­land, in 55 d. S. Lat. 5 Leagues long, 8 Leagues wide, good Soundings; from thence they double Cape-Hor [...] the South Land's End of America, in 57 d. 50 m. S. Lat.

Cornelius Schouten of Horn, and Iacob Le Maire of Amsterdam, Anno 1615, were the first who adventured South of Magellan-Straits. The Island which makes the Straits had its Name from the States of Holl [...]nd, the [Page 38] Straits were called by the Name of one of the Discover­ers, the Cape was called after the Name of the Birth-Place of the other Discoverer. They performed their Circ [...]-navigation in two Years and eighteen Days. Thi [...] Passage has been much practised.

Commodore Anson's (now Admiral Anson) Voyage through these Straits round our Globe or Earth, is the l [...]est we have any particular Account of; he sail'd from England, Sept. 18. 1741, to annoy and distress the Spa­ [...]iards in the South-Seas, his Squadron consisted of Ships, one 60 Guns, two 50 Guns, one 40 Guns, one 20 Guns, [...] Sloop or Snow of 8 Guns, 2 Victuallers, he had twelve Months Provision aboard, 500 Marines and Invalids, but returned to England a single Ship: Of the 510 Men a­board the Centurion the Commodore, when he sail'd from England, not exceeding 130 returned to England. He was unfortunate as to wrong Seasons all the Voyage, he set out too late, was 38 Days in his Passage to Maderas, did not leave St. Catherine's ^* on the Coast of Brazil, in 27 d. S. Lat. until Jan. 18, passed in Sight of the Magellan Straits in March, through Straits Le Maire, he was off of Cape Horn in the Height of their Winter, with hollow Seas, and boisterous adverse Winds (we before hinted that the South high Latitudes, are in their Winters more tempestuous, than the like North high Latitudes in the Northern Winters; thus Cape of Good Hope, although in 34 d. S. Lat. was at first called Cape Tormentosa, the N. W. Winds in May, June, July and August being as it were fixed and very tempestuous) here he parted from all his Fleet; the Severn and Pearl of 50 and 40 Gun Ships, tired out (as it is supposed) with [...]edious contrary Winds, dismal Storms, and an over­grown Sea, left him and put back: Some of his Fleet [Page 39] joined him again at the Island of Iuan Fernandez [...] South-Sea, which is generally used as a Place of Re­freshment by Enemies and Interlopers. He had a [...] ­dious Passage of 148 Days from St. Catherine's [...] thi [...] Island. He did not arrive off of Aquapulco until t [...]e End of Ianuary, O. S. the Manila ^† Ship being [...]ot in Ianuary 9. From the West Coast of Mexico he [...] 109 Days to the Ladrones (it is generally performed by heavy Sailers in 60 or 70 Days) from thence he [...] to Macao a Portugueze Settlement upon an Island [...] Canton the chief Place of Trade in China, here he co [...]i­nued from November 1742 to April following. Iune [...]. Anno 1743, Commodore Anson by good Chance ( [...] Manila Ship might have got into her Port, but [...]ing [Page 40] informed at Aquapulco of Anson's bad Condition, he bore up to him to take him) took the Manila Ship bound from Aquapulco to Manila, about 6 Leagues S. E. of Cape Spiri [...]u Sancto off the Island Mindora near Luconia or Ma­nila Island July 11, he anchored again in Macao Road, and left it December 15, bound for England. Anno 1744, April 3, he left Cape of Good Hope, and June 12, made the Lizard Point. The Prize Money of the Ma­nila Ship, and of some small Captures on the Coast of Peru, accounted for was in Value 355,324 £. Ster.

3. The Navigation East of Staten Island, clear of all Land giving Cape Horne the Land's End of South Ame­rica a good Birth. This is the present Practice of the French South-Sea-Men, and is the most adviseable.

Capt. Sh [...]rp a Bucanier, ^* Anno 1681, came from the South Seas to the North Seas without making Land; it was in their Summer-Season, Nov. 17, he was in 58 d. 30 m. S. Lat. to the Southward of Cape Horn, where he [Page 41] met with several Islands of Ice and hard Frosts; he crossed the Equator or Line Ianuuary 7.

Capt. Woods Rogers (afterwards Governor of Provid [...]nc [...] and the other Bahama-Islands) with two good Privateers, set out from Bristol in August, Anno 1708, (his Pilot was Dampier, formerly a Logwood Cutter, who had been three Times in the South-Seas, and twice round the Globe) he wooded and watered at Cape de Verde Islands, at Brazils end of November, and at the Island Ferd [...]d [...], in the South-Sea; having Sea-room sufficient be passed into the South-Seas without seeing of Land; Jan. 10, he was South of Cape-Horn in Lat. 61 d. 53 m; 10 Weeks from the Brazils, he was upon the Coast of Chili and Peru, where he continued making Depredations till the Month of December, then he lay in Wa [...]t near the South End of California. He took the small Manila Ship Dec. 22. He left California Jan. 12. arrived at Guam, March 11, left Guam, March 22, arrived in Batavia June 20, left Iava-head October 24, arrived in the Harbour of Cape Good-Hope Dec. 28, sail'd from thence April 8▪ with the Dutch East-India Fleet (they are generally 17 to 20 Sail home [...]ard bound) passed in Sight of St. Helena April 30, off of Schetland Islands North of Scotland July 16, and arrived in the Texel, July 23; having encroach'd upon the exclusive Trade and Navigation of the English East-India Company, they did not think it convenient to come to England, until they had settled the Affair with the Company.

III. ^† Thorough-Fares in the Body of the American Con­tinent from the Eastern Ocean to the Western Ocean, commonly called from the North Se [...] to the South-Sea and East-Indies.

1. The Straits of Magellan, already discussed.

2. Rio de La Plata. Iohn Diaz de Solis a Spaniard, sailing Southward fell in with this River of Plate Anno [Page 42] [...]515; the Name was occasioned by the first Silver from Peru, coming down this River (the native Indians call this Country Paraguay) t [...]ey went up the River so far as was convenient, and thence travelled by Land, to the Country that afforded so much Silver and Gold, and made Returns of it. Garcias a Portu [...]u [...]ze was up this River An. 1524. he was cut off by the Indians. Sebastian C [...]b [...]t in the King of Spain's Service An. 1525 sail'd 200 Leagues up the River of Plate. Anno 1535 Don Pedro de Mendoza, with 12 Ships went up this River; he left some Forces there, they conquered the Country to the Mines of P [...]tosi; and Town of La Plata 500 Leagues from their first Settlements; the Spaniards did not begin to work the Mines of Potosi, until An. 1545. Buenos Ayres is 50 Leagues up from the Mouth of the River of Plate; one Branch of this River is called Paraguay, here is the famous Country Tucuman of the Iesuites; Iesuites having in some Degree civilized the native Indians, they divided it into Districts or Missions, under the Direction of the Iesuites to this Day. St. Iago in 29 d. S. Lat. is the Capital of the Iesuites Country. At present there is a good Land Communication from the River of Plate to Peru and Chili, so the Assiento Negroes are conveyed from Buenos Ayres to Peru and Chili: the Road passes through La Plata (the great River comes near to it) in 21 d. S. Lat. the Capital of the Audience of Los Cher [...]as in Peru: the Silver Mines of Potosi and Porco are in its Neigh­bourhood.

3. The River of Amazons ^*. Its Mouth lies near the Line or Equinoctial, it is of a very long Course, about 1800 Leagues (it is the largest River upon Earth) from its many Windings and bad Navigation, it is relinquish'd as a Thorough-Fare. Gonzalo Pizarro (Brother to the fa­mous [Page 43] Pizarro) Governour of Quito in Peru, Anno 1540 with a small Army crossed the Andes, and fell down this River in Quest of Gold; here he built a Briga [...]ine which sail'd down the River, which went home to Spain by the East or North Sea; Pizarro himself returned by L [...]d to Quito, he found no Gold. Father d' Ac [...]na from Quito went down this River, and by the East Sea to Spain, and published an Account of the Country. The Spaniards endeavoured a Settlement upon the River An. 1554, but soon relinquished it. By the Peace of U [...]recht, France (the French have some small Settlements in Guiana, North of this River) renounces both Sides of the River [...], and the Navigation thereof.

4. The River Oronoque. Its Mouth lies in about 9 d. N. Lat. by this River no Thorough-Fare ever was effect­ed; it is the South Easterly Boundary of the Spanish Set­tlements on the East or North Sea of America: St. Tho­mas is the only Settlement, the Spaniards have South-East of this River, some New-England Privateers in the Be­ginning of the present Spanish War made some Attempts upon this Place Sir Walter Raleigh ^† took Possession [Page 44] of the Country of Guiana, ^† Anno 1595 for the Crown of England.

5. The Gulph of Mexico and Isthmus of Darien. Vasco Numes de Balboa with 290 Men Anno 1513 was the first who crossed this Isthmus, and discovered the South-Sea in 8 d. 30 m. N. Lat. between Porto Bello and Carthagena; at this Place the Isthmus is about one Degree wide. This Vasco received no Benefit by this Discovery, being soon su­perseded by Padracias, who was by the Court of Spain ap­pointed Vice-Roy of Panama, originally and at that Time Capital of the South-Sea Spanish Colonies: There is a great Ridge of Mountains; or rather of many distinct Hills running along this Ihstmus, into the Gulph of Darien there comes from the Mountains many Rivers, which formerly afforded much Gold Dust or Grains; this was the prin­cipal Inducement to that romantick, ill-contrived, badly executed, and therefore short-lived Scots Settlement here called the Darien or CALEDONIA ^* Company, An. 1699.

[Page 45]Anno 1680, some of the Bucaniers went up the Gulph or River of Darien, and from thence by a short Land-Passage to St. Maria in the Bay of Panama: Some Bu­caniers [Page 46] returned the same Way to the North Sea. At some Distance to the Westward 6 Leagues is Nombre de Dios, (nomen Dei) 18 Leagues from Panama, here the Galleons formerly loaded, but because of the sickly Air here and in the Gulph of Darien, they were both relin­quished by the Spaniards, this is the narrowest Place of the Neck; Negroes from Iamaica Interlopers, have car­ried Letters of Advice from Nombre de Dios to Panama, and brought back Answers in 36 Hours. Six Leagues West from Nombre de Dios is Porto-Bello, ^† it is the North Sea Barcadier of Panama, about 20 Leagues distant, and the Fair for the Spanish Galleons and the British South-Sea annual Ship. A few Leagues West of Porto-Bello is the River Chagre (here Vernon An. 1740 seized the Spanish Factory and carried off Goods to the Value of 70,000 £. Sterl.) from the Head of their River is the shortest Land Carriage to Panama, not exceeding seven Leagues.

5. The early Adventurers to America, where they found any large Opening or Inlet, they had some small Hopes of a Thorough-fare to the South Seas, but proceeding only a small Way they were baulk'd: thus it happen'd in Chesapeak-Bay of Virginia, in Hudson's River of New-York, in St. Laurence's River of Canada the longest and largest of these Inlets: Iohn Cartier a French Man An. 1535 sail'd up the Gulph and River of St. Laurence so far as [Page] Monreal in Canada. Sir Humphry Gilbert from Engla [...] hearing of a Strait North of Virginia (New-England [...] Nova-Scotia were at that Time comprehended in the [...] nomination of Virginia) imagin'd, it might be a [...] fare to the East-Indies; he sail'd up the Gulph and [...] of St. Laurence An. 1583 and took Possession for [...] Crown of England.

6. The next and last Thorough-fare Northward, [...] Davis's Straits; but as this is a very wide Opening [...] rather Sea dividing North-America from a North [...] distinct Continent called West-Groenland or New- [...] we must refer it to the Paragraphs of a North [...] Passage, and the Section of Hudson's-Bay Lodges [...] Trade.

IV. Essays towards a Nor [...] East Passage to China [...] the Indian Seas, come next in Course of Time, these A [...]ventures were prior to the Outsets for a North-West [...]covery. The Cabots in Quest of a North-East Passa [...] first weathered the North Cape of Europe in 72 d. [...] Lat; by much Sollicitation, our Sovereigns of these [...] were prompted to make some Advances this Way in [...] of Trade. In King Edward VI's Reign, was [...] corpora [...]ed a Company of Merchants for discovering [...] Lands unknown; in Consequence of this some [...] Ships, by the White Sea, came to Archangel; and [...] Grand [...] of Muscovy or Russia, grants to an [...] Russia-Company sundry Privileges. AnnoRegni 1, 2. [...] and Mary, by Patent, a Society was incorporated, by [...] Name of the Governor, Consuls, Assistants, Fellows [...] and Commonality of Merchant-Adventurers to [...] Territories, &c. unknown or unfrequented; this [...] were in Possession of the Russia Trade 25 or 30 [...] before the Dutch attempted it.

Towards the End of the sixteenth Century the [...] and Dutch began to try for a North-East Passage, and many Years lost Ships and their Labour in impractic [...] Adventures: It had an incidental good profitable [...] [Page 48] it brought them into the Russia Trade and Whale-Fishery. The North-East and the North-West Discoverers intro­duced the whaling Business. The Dutch have winter'd in 75 d. N. Lat. in Nova-Zembla, the English have winter'd in 78 d. N. Lat. in Greenland, it was remark'd that Nova-Zembla although Southward of Greenland, is colder than Greenland. The English Russia Company were the first who went a Whaling at East-Greenland, at that Time they employed Biscayers; afterwards the Dutch came into it, followed it more closely, an [...] a [...]e better acquainted. A few Years since, the English South-Sea-Company fitted out a great Number of goo [...] large Ships Whalers; they sunk much Money from Mismanagement, and soon abandoned the Affair.

A North-East Passage has been essay'd three different Ways, viz. East of East-Greenland or Spitsbergen, between East-Greenland and Nova-Zembla, and by Wygatz Straits between Nova Zembla and Russia upon the Continent.

The Southermost Point of East-Greenland lies in 76 d. N. Lat. almost due North from the North Cape of Eu­rope. This Greenland may reach the North Polar Re­gions, but hitherto Point Purchas (so called by the Name of the Discoverer) in 82 d. N. Lat. is the furthest North that has been discovered. The Southernmost Part of East-Greenland lies about 150 Leagues from Nova Zembla.

Anno 1671 a Whaler sail'd the Coast of East-Green­land to 81 d. N. Lat. there they found the Ice firm, it did not float; therefore it must adhere to some Land backwards, consequently there can be no North-East Pas­sage that Way. As the Northerly and Easterly Winds in these Parts, cause very intense Frosts, there must be to Windward vast Continents covered with Snow or large Fields of impenetrable Ice. Thus the very hard Frost [...] from the North and North-West Winds in Baffin's Bay, Davis's Straits, and Hudson's Bay, indicate vast Conti­nents of Snow and Ice to the North-West.

[Page 49] Anno 1676 Capt. Wood was fitted out by the Court of England in his Majesty's Ship Speedwell with the Prosperous Pink, to discover a North-East Passage to the Indian Seas; the Speedwell was cast away upon Rocks of Nova Zembla in 74 d. 30 m. N. Lat. (the Men were saved and came home in the Prosperous Pink) they found Ice along to the Northward with Soundings, therefore Land is not far off, and Nova Zembla (a Conjecture) may range North West­ward, until it meets with East Greenland, consequently no North-East Passage between them, unless by some Straits; the Flood sets from the S. or S. W, therefore no Passage Northward, besides the Water is rather salter than common Sea or Ocean Water.

In endeavouring a N. E. Passage Nova Zembla was dis­covered, and Waygatz Straits between Nova Zembla and the Continent of Tartary or Russia: Those Straits in N. Lat. 70 d. are always froze and full of Ice, excepting when for a very short Time by a N. E. Hurricane or Storm it is cleared; but this Time being short and Weather tempestuous, it may be deem'd impracticable.

^* Sundry Writers give us various small Accounts or Hints, some favouring some discouraging a N. E. Passage, [Page 50] none of them are sufficiently vouched. Some have wrote, that upon the Coasts of Iapan and China, drift Whales have been found with Dutch Harping Irons, these must have come by a N. E. Passage. Some relate Russian Barks that have sail'd from the Mare Glaciale East of Wy­gatz Straits by Cape Suotainos in N. Lat. 60 d. to trade with the People who live on the Oriental Ocean in N. Lat. 50 d. therefore Asia and America are two separate Continents. The Dutch (as it is said) Anno 1646, tried this Passage backwards, from Iapan to the North Ocean, but to no Purpose; they were not obstructed by the Ice, but puzzled by broken Lands, Head-Lands, Islands, Bays, Coves, Inlets, and Creeks. Some Dutch Whalers missing of Whales proceeded further North than Cape Purchas of East Greenland in N. Lat. 82 d. and found an open Sea clear of Ice but very hollow. N. B. Why did they not proceed in Quest of a Passage? If a clear Sea could be found, that is without Continents or Islands to fasten and fix the Ice, a Passage might be possible: But a Pas­sage through Straits cannot be practicably safe, their Ice is generally fixed; if accidentally in the Height of some Summers they be open, it can be only for a short Time, and the Uncertainty, when a Frost may set in, renders the Navigation too hazardous to run the Risk of the [Page 51] Vessel being froze up, and the People perish: Spitsbergen or East Greenland seems to be a Cluster of broken Islands.

V. Adventures of a North West Passage to the West or Indian Seas for the Spice-Islands and China. Sebastian Cabot a Native o [...] England, was fitted out by Henry VII. of England, Anno 1497, to discover a North-West Pas­sage to the Spice Islands and East-Indies, he made Land in West Greenland in N. Lat. 67 d. and called it Prima Vista, and from thence coasted to Florida, taking Possession, ac­cording to the Forms of those Times as he sail'd along for the Crown of England; but endeavoured no Passage.

St. Martin Frobisher, at first fitted out by private Ad­venturers, made three Voyages Anno 1576, 1577, 1578 to a Straits in N. Lat. 63 d. called by his own Name, but Ice and the Inclemency of the Weather successively obliged him to return, without any North-West Passage Discovery. He took formal Possession of the North Con­tinent of Greenland, for the Crown of England, but the Norwegians (at present the Subjects of Denmark) pretend­ed to have had Settlements there prior by 200 Years, from Island (its North Parts are in N. Lat. 66 d. 20 d. West from London); but our first North-West Adven­turers Frobisher, Davis, Hudson, Bassin, Smith, &c. did not find the least Vestige of the Norwegians ever being there: There was no Bread-Corn, no Herbage, the Aborigines had not altered their Way of Living, being cloathed with Skins, and lodging in Caves. This North Continent the Danes call New Denmark, and have a small miserable Set­tlement there in Davis Straits in N. Lat. 64 d. and a Guard Ship in the Whaling Season: The Soil and Indian Trade are not worth contending for; the best of Beaver and other Fur is from hence, but in small Quantities; it is unhospitable. Hans Egeda in his natural History of Greenland, 4to, 1741, says, that Greenland was first discover­ed by the Norwegians and Islanders Anno 982, but the In­clemency of the Climate, occasioned their abandoning of it; his Relation of many Colonies, Abbeys, and Churches is too Romantick to obtain Credit. Anno 1721 a Com­pany [Page 52] of Merchants or trading Men, by a Royal Danish License set up at Bergen of New-Denmark in N. Lat. 64 d. where the Author and his Family continued 15 Years: He says that Barley does ripen there, ^† some Tillage and Pasture-Land, only Brush Wood, several Shell-Fish, Land constantly covered with Ice and Snow, excepting near the Sea-Shore, Turnips grow well; Muskitoes very trouble­some in Iuly and August.

There is no good Whaling amongst the loose Ice, the Whales when struck, dive, and it is uncertain where they may come up to blow, but near great Islands of Ice, and Fields of Ice or fast Ice, they must come up by the same Side; as the American or West Shore belongs to Great-Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht, Anno 1713, the Winds, being generally from the North and North West, it is the Lee Shore and Field of Ice; therefore if a Monopoly of Whaling could be allowed, by the Law of Nations, in Davis Straits, it must belong to Great-Britain; thus we claim, but for political Reasons do not prosecute our Claim, to an exclusive Herring-Fishery at Schetland or North Parts of Scotland; this Controversy is well canvessed pro and con by Selden in his Mare Clausum and by Grotius in his Mare Liberum. At present the King of Denmark as­sumes the Sovereignty of the Seas in Davis Straits.

Iohn Davis upon the North-West Passage Discover [...] ▪ Anno 1583 made Cape Desolation about 62 d. N. Lat. and sail'd to no Effect, so high as 66 d. 40 m. He made another Voyage Anno 1586 found among the Natives some Copper. Anno 1587 he made a third Voyage and sail'd [Page 53] so high as 72 d. 10 m. this Opening is still call'd Fretum Davis or Davis Straits.

The King of Denmark, upon Pretence of renewing his Claims, fitted out some Vessels for this Discovery Anno 1605, 1606, 1607, &c, their Adventures were of no Consequence. Anno 1619 Iohn Munck sail'd into the Northern Parts of Davis Straits and call'd it Mare Chri­stianum (the Name of the King of Denmark at that Time) he wintered in 63 d. 20 m. N. Lat. and called it Monk's Winter Harbour, and the Country he called New-Denmark, few of his Men survived so as to return Home and live.

In the Beginning of last Century Henry Hudson, by two Adventureshaving satisfied himself that there was noNorth-East Passage to China, was sent from England to try aNorth West Passage; as the West Northward Navigation had no Success, he sailed by the West Southward Opening, through the Straits called by his Name into a Bay called Hudson's- Bay, where he perished by the Insidiousness of his villanous Crew.

Sir Thomas Button (in these Times many seafaring Commanders were knighted, to encourage Discoverers) Anno 1611 encouraged by Prince Henry, pursued the N. West Discoveries, passed through Hudson's Straits and Bay, navigated and lookt into the several Creeks and In­lets of its Western Shore (Water generally 80 Fathom deep) he gave it the Name of New Wales, he in much Misery winter'd in 57 d. 10 m. N. Lat. he called the Place Port Nelson; this West Coast was afterwards called Button's- Bay.

Sir. Thomas Smith's Sound discovered Anno 1616 is in N. Lat. 78 d.

After Davis, M. Baffin prosecuted the North North-westward Passage, in the North Parts of Davis Straits, there he found a great Bay called Baffin's- Bay, he did not prosecute to the Bottom or further Extent of this Bay, but despair'd of finding a North West Passage. In N. Lat. 78 the Compass varied 57 d. W. the greatest known Variation.

[Page 54]No more Voyages were made from England upon that Design until Anno 1631. Capt. Thomas Iames of Bristol made some additional Discoveries to those of Hudson, Button, and Baffin (here we anticipate a little▪ the Hudson's Bay Account) he wintered at Charleton Island, near the Bottom of Hudson's- Bay; in this Island, he says, in Sum­mer-Season, the Days are excessive hot, and in the Nights Frost; in the Months of Iune and Iuly the Musketoes are intolerable, several Kinds of Flies and Butterflies, no Fish nor Fish-Bones or Shells upon the Shore excepting Cockle-Shell; here were several Kinds of Fowl, Deers, Foxes, Bears, and some small Quadrupedes; full of Spruce, Firs, and Juniper. He printed his Journal (a good Performance) 4to London 1633. He gives it as his Opinion, that there can be no North West Passage.

Several others in the Beginning of the Seventeenth Century made Attempts for a North-West Passage, West Greenland and Fields of Ice obstructed them; but an in­cidental very considerable Benefit accrued, viz. the Davis Straits Whale-Fishery. None have prosecuted the Na­vigation along the West Side of West Greenland into very high Latitudes, to discover whether West Greenland and East Greenland do converge so as to join, or if there be a Pas­sage along by the North Pole.

The many Dis [...]ppointments and Discouragements, as also the intestine Bro [...]s and Confusions in England did put a Stand to all Discoveries and other Improvements. Upon the Restoration of King Charles II, the Discovery Projects were again set on Foot by some Noblemen and Mer­chants. Prince Rupert was concerned: Capt. Guillam in the Nonesuch Ketch was fitted out, Anno 1667; he sail'd up Baffin's-Bay so high as 75 d. N. Lat. and returned to Prince Rupert's River in N. Lat. 51 d. and laid the Foun­dation of an advantageous Fur-Trade in the Hudson's- Bay Company, established by Royal Patent Anno 1670 to Prince Rupert and Associates.

Capt. Middleton in his North West Discovery Voyage Anno 1742▪ says, it is impossible in any Part of the Wes­tern [Page 55] Coast, lower than 67 d. N. Lat, called Cape Hope West fro [...] London 87 d; he pretends to have inspected this Coast narrowly; and if there be any Passage further North it must b [...] impracticable, because (if at all clear) it can not be clear above one Week in the Year. His main Attempt was in Wager River N. Lat. 65 d. 25 m. the Entrance 6 to 8 Miles wide, Tide 5 or 6 Knots, Soundings not less than 16 Fathoms (many Savages came aboard but had no Trade, they spoke of Mines ^†) the further he went up Wager River, the Tides did rise less (whereas Sir Iohn Narborough in his Passage through the Straits of Magellan, the nearer he approached the Western Flood, the Tide did rise more) the Water from salt be­came brakish, and gradually more fresh, therefore it must proceed from some fresh Water River, and is no salt Wa­ter Thorough-Fare.

If there were discovered a N. E. or N. W. Passage to China, the Difficulties in Navigation, would render it of little or no Use, other, than to amuse the Curious in the Hydrography of those Parts.

There is a River which the French Coureur des Bois, call St. Lawrence coming from the Westward, falls, into the Northern Parts of the upper Lake, nearly 100 d. W. from London, and the same Latitude with the Bottom of Hudson's- Bay, and communicating with it by Water Canoe Carriage; the North Parts of Calefornia lie in about 130 d. West from London (according to Dr. Hally's accurate laying of it) and in Lat. 42 d; thus the Difference of Lon­gitude is only 30 d; which at the Medium Lat. of 45 d. (14 Leag [...]es to a Degree) makes only 420 Leagues; and if Calefornia is divided from the Continent by a Sinus or Straits, this will render the Distance to that Straits still shorter. By going up this River so far as Water Canoe Carriage will allow, and then perhaps only some short [Page 56] Land Carrying-Place to some Rivulet or River running Westward towards the Seas of California or Western O­cean, if some Ridge or Chain of impracticable Moun­tains do not interveen. But cui bono all this Puzzle? only to ascertain the Geography of that Country; it can be of no Use in Navigation.

Mr. Dobbs who faulted Capt. Middleton very much for his bad Management and Unfaithfulness, did Anno 1745 procure an Act of Parliament, viz. Whereas a North West Passage through Hudson's Straits to the Western American Ocean will be a great Benefit to the Trade of Great-Britain; there is enacted a publick Reward of 20,000 £. Sterl. to any Ship or Vessel belonging to Sub­jects of Great-Britain, that shall find out any such Tho­rough-Fare or Passage. Upon this Encouragement the Dobbs Galley and California sail'd from England in May 1746; hitherto we have no Account of them.

ARTICLE 3. Some Account of the Discoveries and first Settlements in America from Europe.

^* The only Europeans Navigators and Planters of A­merica are the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and English; the English are the proper Subject-Matter of this Hist [...], and their Discoveries shall be related in Course, the others are the Subject of this Article of the Introduction.

The Continent of America at a medium Estimate is about 1000 Leagues (by Leagues we always mean the twentieth Part of a Degree on the Meridians) from Europe and Africa, upon the intervening Atlantick or Northern, and the Ethiopick or Southern Ocean, the Spaniards call the whole Mar del Nort; from Asia about 2500 Leagues upon the intervening South Sea, Pacifick Ocean, or Mar-del Zur which is reckoned to extend two Fifths of the East and West Circumference of the Earth.

At first the America Navigations were via Canaries and the Caribee-Islands; a more direct Navigation to its se­veral Parts is now practised; the Ancients imagined that within the Tropicks (non est habitabilis Aesta) theEarth was not habitable, whereas the fine rich Countries of Mexico and Peru lies mostly within the Tropicks.

[Page 63] America may be divided into the Continents of North-America called by the Spanish Writers America Mexicana, the Continent of South-America called by the Spaniards America Peruviana, the intermediate Isthmus or Audience of Guatimala, and Groenland North of Davis Straits.

ARTICLE 1. A general History of the aboriginal Americans.

AS to the Origin of Things, particularly of Man­kind, we have no other Account in Credit with Christians, whether allegorical or literal is not my Af­fair, but that of Moses in the Scriptural Books of our [Page 152] Bible or Religion: Doubtless there have been at Times general or almost universal Pestilences, Famines, Deluges, implacabl [...] Wars; which have almost extinguished the Race of Mankind in the Countries where these general Calamities prevailed; and must require many Centuries to repeople them, from the small remaining Stock, and to reduce them by Gradations ^* to large Societies called Tribes or Cantons, Nations, and Empires.

[Page 153]The Boundaries of their united Tribes, called Nations or Empires, are natural, viz. Seas, Bays, Lakes, great Rivers, high Mountains, thus for Instance, our neigh­bouring Nation of Abnaquies are bounded by the Atlan­tick Ocean, or rather at present by the English Set­tlements upon the Atlantick Shore, by the Bay of Fundi, by the great River St. Laurence, by Lake Cham­plain and Hudson's River.

The Tribes which, at least nominally, compose their general Denomination of a Nation, are generally named from the Rivers upon which they live; as in Lapland of Sweden, the Laplanders are distinguished by the Names of the Rivers Uma, Pitha, Lula, Torneo, and Kimi.

As China seems to be the elder Brother of all the Na­tions of Mankind as to their Politia and Improvements in Nature; so America may with much Propriety be called the youngest Brother and meanest of Mankind; no Civil Government, no Religion, no Letters▪ the French call them Les Hommes des Bois, or Men-Brutes of the Forrest: They do not cultivate the Earth by plant­ing or grazing: Excepting a very inconsiderable Quan­tity of Mays or Indian Corn, and of Kidney-Beans (in New England they are called Indian Beans) which some of their Squaas or Women plant; they do not provide [Page 154] for To-Morrow, their Hunting is their necessary Sub­sistence not Diversion; when they have good Luck in Hunting, they eat and sleep until all is consumed and then go a Hunting again.

The higher the Latitudes, the Indians are fewer in Numbers and more straggling, Nature not affording ne­cessary Subsistence for many, and only in small Bodies or Herds: Their Trade or Commerce is trifling, having no Produce, no Manufacture, but little Game; the Difficulty of subsisting requires almost their whole Time to provide for themselves.

Excepting that Constitution of Body, which by Use they have acquired from their Birth, of enduring Hard­ships of Hunger and Weather; they are tender, and not long-lived, and generally very simple and ignorant, some of their old Men by Use and Experience in the World, acquire a considerable Degree of Sagacity. New Negroes from Guinea generally exceed them much in Constitution of Body and Mind. In the Province of Massachusetts-Bay New-England, there was formerly a very good Project or Design, to educate at College, some of their most promising Youths, to serve as Mis­sionaries for civilizing, instructing and converting of the wild Indians: This good Purpose turn'd abortive from the Tenderness of their Constitution and Aukwardness in Learning, and at present is laid aside.

They are not so polite as the wandring Tartars, no Dairys. Like the wild Irish they dread Labour more than Poverty, like Dogs they are always either eating or sleeping, excepting in Travelling, Hunting, and their Dances; their Sloth and Indolence inclines them to Sottishness; before Christians arrived amongst them, they had no Knowledge of strong Drink; this Chri­stian Vice not only destroys their bodily Health, and that of their Progeny, but creates Feuds, Outrages, and horrid Murders. They are much given to Deceit and Lying, so as scarce to be believed when they speak Truth. See Annotations Page 116. Their Temper is [Page 155] the Reverse of the East Indians, whereof some Casts or Sects will not kill any Animal; the West Indians or Americans are barbarous, and upon small Provocations kill their own Species; some of them exceed in Bar­barity, and in Revenge and Fury eat the Flesh of their Enemies, not from Hunger or Delicacy; such formerly were the Florida Indians, they said that the Flesh of the English eat mellow and tender, that of the Spaniard hard and tough, the Bermudian fishy.

The Aboriginal Americans have no Honesty, no Ho­nour, that is, they are of no Faith, but meer Brutes in that Respect. They generally have great Fortitude of Mind; without any Appearance of Fear or Concern, they suffer any Torture and Death. In Revenge they are barbarous and implacable; they never forget nor forgive Injuries; if one Man kills another, the nearest in Kindred to the murdered, watches an Opportunity to kill the Murderer; and the Death of one Man may occasion the Deaths of many; therefore when a Man is guilty of Murder, he generally leaves the Tribe, and goes into a voluntary Kind of Banishment. They are a sullen close People. The Indian Wars ought to be called Massacres, or inhumane barbarous Out-rages, rather than necessary Acts of Hostility.

The Indians have their Hunting, Fowling and Fish­ing Grounds, by a forked pointed Pole, they strike or harpoon their Fish; but their Wives and Children reside mostly on their planting Grounds, they plant but little. They do not wander like the Tartars; there are said to be some wandering Indians, they cannot be many; because the settling Indians are very jealous of their hunting and fishing Grounds or Properties.

Their ancient Navigation was only crossing of Rivers upon Bark-logs, travelling along Rivers, Rivulets and Sides of Lakes in Canoes or Schuyties, portable by two Men in their Carrying-Places from one River or Pond to another, they are of Birch-Bark upon Ribs of Ash, sow'd together by some tough wooden Fibres, and [Page 156] paid (as Sailors express it) with Rozin from some Pine Kind; they use no Sails and Oars, only Paddles and Setting-Poles; they are capable of carrying a Man, his Wife, Children and Baggage. Narrow Rivers are better travelling than Ponds or Lakes, because upon the Lakes, if stormy or much Wind, they cannot proceed, but must put to the Shore.

Many of our intermixed Indians are of good Use as Servants. It is observable, that amongst the Indian Ser­vants and Negro Slaves; the silly, thoughtless, and pu­silanimous answer best; some perhaps may observe from this, that the blind passive Obedience and Non-Re­sistence Men, make the best Subjects and Court Slaves in Europe.

The Indians between the Tropicks, their Complexion is not of so good a metaline Copper Lustre, but paler, Stature smaller, not so robust and couragious; but by Reason of the Fertility of the Country are in larger Tribes and consequently more civilized; and from be­ing civilized, their Confederacies and federal Unions re­duced them into vast Empires ^†: Such were the Em­pire of Mexico, their Moderator or principal Man was Mon [...]ezuma; and the Empire of Peru, Attabaliba was their leading Man. The Empire of Mexico seems to have been the more polite, that of Peru the more rich, as having vast Treasures of Silver and Gold.

The Northern Tribes are small and distinct; a large Parcel of Land laying waste (in Winter-Countries) for many Months in the Ye [...], not fertile, and not cleared of Woods, cannot subsist many People, but these [Page 157] small ^‖ Tribes, though much dispersed are allied by Contiguity, Language, and Intermarriages; thus it is with our neighbouring Abnaquies who border upon New-England; the Iroquois or Mohawks who border upon New York, Pensylvania and Virginia; and the Chirakees who bo [...]der upon Carolina; these may be called three distinct great Nations.

The Indians in the high Latitudes are paler, short, thick, squat; cloathed with Skins (generally Seals-Skins) sow'd with Thongs; no Bread-Kind, no Fire; live upon Whale and Seal-Blubber, and other Fish; and what Beasts they may kill with their Arrows and Darts; their Boats and Canoes are of a singular Make, adapted only for one Person; in the Winter they live in Caves.

Indians in general paint their Bodies, especially their Faces (they affect red Colour) as the Picts and Britons of Great-Britain formerly were accustomed.

In the higher Latitudes the Indians reckon by Winters (Years) Moons (Months) and Sleeps (Nights.) Be­tween the Tropicks they reckon by Rains (the Seasons of Rains, End of Summer and Beginning of Autumn are periodical, as are our Winters) Moons and Sleeps. In computing Distances, they reckon by Sleeps or Days Travel (as the Dutch do by Hours) viz. so many Sleeps or Days Travel from one Place to another.

Notwithstanding of the Unpoliteness and Want of Fire-Arms amongst the American Aboriginals, the Euro­peans could not have effected their Settlements because of vast Disparity in Numbers; if some disaffected Tribes, to be revenged of the Impositions and Encroach­ments of some neighbouring Tribes, had not joined the European Small-Arms; thus Cortez against Mexico was [Page 158] joined by several disaffected Tribes; when the Settlers of New Plymouth first landed, Massasoit was glad of the Countenance of their Small Arms against the Na­ragansets.

As to their Make and Complexion. ^* They have thin Lips, flattish Faces, languid Countenance, small black [Page 159] Eyes, imberbes and impuber [...], Stature various as in Eu­rope; in the high North and South Latitudes, they are taller and more robust, than between the Tropicks; their Hair jet black, lank (between the Tropicks not so lank) stiff, called by the French Crin. The Spaniards found it more tedious and much more difficult to reduce Chili, than in their other American Conquests. Their Com­plexion is of a splendid redish Brown, or metaline Lustre, which is well expressed by a Copper Colour; thus a splendid White, is called Silver Colour: Not of an Olive-Colour or tawney (a tanned Leather yellowish Colour) as are the Aborigines of Barbary, and some of their Progeny in the South Parts of France, Spain, and Portugal. Some Indians upon the Isthmus of Darien, are of a milk-white Complexion, which is not natural and hereditary; but proceeds from a tender morbid Constitution, their Parents were copper-coloured, and their Children become copper-coloured.

Their Posture is not cross-legg'd as among the Asia­ticks; accumbent as formerly with the Greeks and Ro­mans, laying on their left Side, leaning upon their Elbow; nor cowring as the Women call it, the Manner of the African Negroes, Knees bent and Legs parallel to their Thighs; nor sitting upon their Buttocks and Thighs with their Legs dependant as in Europe; but sitting on their Buttocks erect with their Thighs and Legs in a strait Line extended horizontally.

Our general Trade with the Indians is Fire-Arms, Powder, and Shot for War and Hunting; Strouds and Blankets for Cloathing; Spirits, Rum and Brandy for Indolence; formerly Toys, which were as considerable though silly Amusement to them, as Jewels are to us.

In Travelling they direct their Course by noted Mountains, by the Sun when visible, by the mossy or North side of Trees. As most Insects avoid Oils, the Indians grease themselves as a Defence against Muskitoes and other troublesom Flies.

[Page 160]Many of our European's Purchasers of Lands can scarce be said, for valuable Considerations: But a long Pos­session and in Consequence Prescription have made our Title good. Father Ralle a late ingenious Jesuit and French Missionary with the New-England Abnaquie In­dians, about 26 Years since, did kindle a War or Insur­rection of those Indians in New-England; by inculcat­ing, that they held their Lands of GOD and Nature in succeeding Generations, that Fathers could not alienate the Earth from their Sons. We use no other Artifice to keep the Indians in our Interest, but, by undersell [...] the French, and giving a higher Price for Indian Co [...] ­modities; this is fair and just.

Our printed Histories of the Indian Countries, their Governments, Religion, Languages, and Customs; are credulously copied from credulous Authors, and full of silly Conceits; a very late and notable Instance of this, we find in the Journal of Anson's Voyage to the South-Seas, published by the Mathematical Master of the Cen­turion, Anno 1745.

Strictly speaking, they seem to have no Government, no Laws, and are only cemented by Friendship and good Neighbourhood; this is only a Kind of tacit fe­deral Union between the many Tribes, who compose the general Denomination of a Nation; every individual Man seems to be independant and sui juris, as to Go­vernment, and is only in Friendship and neighbourly Relation with others of the same Tribe: Notwith­standing we sometimes find Heads of Tribes mentioned as if in Succession, nay even Female Successions; in the New-England Pocanoket, Mount-Hope, or King Philip's War Anno 1675, there is mentioned the Squaa-Sachem of Pocasset, and a Squaa-Sachem amongst the Nara­gansets. In other Parts of the Earth all Societies or Cohabitants have Government, and an absolute com­pelling Power is lodged somewhere and in some Man­ner; but the American Indians have no compulsive [...]ower over one another: When a Tribe or Neigh­bourhood [Page 161] send Delegates, to treat with other Bodies of Men Whites or Indians; the Conclusions are carried home memoriter, and the young Men must be perswaded to come into these Articles; when the Indians at any Time are forced into a Peace, the Blame of the War is laid upon their young Men.

The aboriginal Cloathing of the Northern Indians was Skins of Seals cut in particular Fashions, and sow'd together with Thongs (they had no Threads of Flax, Hemp, or any other Herbs) in other Parts they wore Skins of the va­rious Beasts of the Forrest: At present the Indians who have Commerce with the Colonies from Europe, wear Duffils and Blanketing of about two Yards square, which the Romans called a ^* Toga; their Segamores or Sachems wear Blankets with a Border of a different Co­lour, and may be called Praetextati.

ARTICLE 2. The Religion, Language, Food and Medicine, with some other loose Particulars relating to the American Indians.

AS the Americans before the Arrival of Colonies from Europe, seem to have been and still continue in general, the most barbarous and the least polished Peo­ple upon Earth; a clear, exact and full Account of these Things cannot be expected, but for the greater Perspicuity we reduce them under distinct Heads.

ARTICLE 3. The Indian Nations and Tribes upon the Eastern Side of Northern-America.

WE may distinguish the Indians by their Relation or Position with Regard to the European Colonies settled in North-America. 1. The Indian Nations (we can­not particularize their several Tribes or Clans) without, but bordering upon the British Grants, such are the French Indians of Canada, and the Spanish Indians of Florida. 2. Indian Tribes within our Grants or Charters, but without our Settlements, such are the Mikamakes of Nova-Scotia, the Abnaquies of New-England, the Mo­hawks, or Five Nations of New-York, the emigrant Tus­car [...]ro [...]s, I do not call a Nation, &c. 3. Indian Fami­lies, interspersed with our Settlements upon Indian reserv­ed Lands; these are useful to the Europeans, particularly to the British, as domestick Servants, Labourers, Sailors, Whalers, and other Fishers▪ Many of the Indian Re­serves [Page 178] are extinct, and their Lands lapsed to the Pro­vinces.

The present Names of the several Indian Nations, or general great Divisions, may continue in Perpetuity, as classical Names in History: The many particular Tribes included or which compose the several Nations or general Divisions; their Names are so various and changeable, we cannot enumerate them; and still less known are the Names and Numbers of the Villages or Castles in the several Tribes.

The Indian Nations or general Divisions which lie upon or near the Eastern Shore of North-America are the Indians of West-Greenland, commonly called Davis's Streights, Eskimaux, Algonquins, Tahsagrondie, Owlawaes, Miamis, Chikesa [...]s: Mikamakis, Abnaquies, Irocois or Mo­hawks, Chawans, Old Tuscararoes, Cuttumbaes, Chirakees, and Creek Indians: Some short Description or Deline­ation of these, will make the Face of the East Side of North-America more apparent and familiar to us, before we set down the several modern Colonies settled there; in Imitation, Si parva magnis componere, of the Europae antiquae et modernae, Tables or Maps.

I. The Indians of WEST-GREENLAND, or of a North East Continent from Davis Streights reaching from Cape Farewell in N. Lat. 60 d. Northward indefinitely, and [...]ll the Indians in the same Latitudes; are a few strag­ling miserable People, live in Caves or Dens under Ground, because of the Severity of the Cold, ^* have no Fire (no Fewel) eat their Flesh and Fish raw, are cloth­ed in Seal-Skins, much subject to the Scurvy ^† or Itch [Page 179] (the French call those of Terra de Labradore South of Davis Streights, for this Reason, the scabed Indians) have no Produce or Subject for Trade.

The ESKIMAUX extend from Davis's and Hudson's Streights North, along the West Side of the Atlantick Ocean to the Mouth of St. Laurence River South; thence range Westward cross the lower Parts of the several Rivers which fall into the Bottom of Hudson's- Bay, and then Northward along the Western Shore of Hudson's- Bay to the Polar Circle ^† in 66 d. or 67 d. N. Lat. as Mr. Dobbs writes. Thus the Esquimaux, excepting a small narrow Tract upon the Labradore Shore, are all quit-claim'd to us by France in the Treaty of Utrecht, Anno 1713▪ Excepting those who frequent the Bottom of Hudson's- Bay, the others can be of no commercial Benefit, they afford a very small Matter of Feathers, Whale-Oil, and Blubber.

Mr. Dobbs of Ireland, the present Enthusiastick Fol­lower of a N. W. Passage Projection, very credulous, gives the Names of many imaginary Tribes West of Hudson's- Bay; but as in high Latitudes not many Peo­ple can subsist, ^‖ and his Tribes not well vouched, we cannot mention them: Mr. Dobbs is an Enemy of the Hudson's- Bay Company; he says, that Trade is got into the Hands of about 9 or 10 of their principal Men, who export not exceeding 3,000 £. St. per An. in British Pro­duce and Manufacture, and keep up their Prices so high; the French supply them cheaper and carry the Trade; whereas if their Charter was vacated, and the Trade [Page 180] laid open; many Traders would settle Factories or trading Houses up the Rivers towards the French, and by underselling of them, much increase our Fur-Trade.

ALGONQUINS in several Tribes reach from the Mouth of St. Laurence River along its North Side, extending about 150 Leagues; they are [...]he French best Indian Friends; but frequently upon little Differences give the French Settlers much Disturbance; may be about 1500 fighting Men.

TAHSAGRONDIE Indians are between the Lakes Erie and Hurons, perhaps from the Barrenness of the Coun­try, they are of small Numbers, dispersed and of no great Notice: They are Friends of the New-York Nations.

OUTAWAES. A great and powerful Nation, they live upon the Outawae River, which joins upon the Cataraqui River (the Outlet of the great Lakes) a little above Monreal, and upon the great Lakes, and extend N. W. to near the S. W. Parts of Hudson's- Bay; they deal considerably with the New-York trading Houses at Oswego ^* [Page 181] upon the Lake Ontario in the Onondagues Country. In May, Anno 1723, about 80 Men besides Women and Children, from a large Tribe belonging to the Outawaes came to Albany in the Province of New-York, and desir­ed to be admitted as another Friend Nation amongst the Mohawk Nations; this Tribe lies between the Lake of Hurons and the upper Lake, and call themselves Neca­ragees, of 6 Castles or Villages, near the Streights be­tween these two Lakes, adjoining to a Tribe called by the French ^† Misilimackinac. There is a large Nation [Page 182] South West of the O [...]waes, called by the French, [...] R [...]nar [...]; they are not within our Knowledge.

MIAMIE [...], so [...]alled by the French (we call them Twig [...]w [...]e [...] or Ilinois they live generally upon the Ri­ver Miami [...] and the Lake and River Ilinois which re­ceives the River Miamis: This Ilinois is a great River, and by it is one of Canada Routs for their Patroul and Trade to the Misissippi.

CHICK [...]SA [...] seem to lie next to the Miamis on the Eastern Side of the Misissippi; they are Allies of and Traders with the People of Carolinas. The Chirakees are next in Course upon the East Side of Misissippi Ri­ver; but as they lie both Sides, and upon the Apalatian Mountains; we shall for Method's Sake (Method renders every Thing distinct and easy) refer it to the next Range of Indian Nations.

We have given a general View of the more remote Nations of Indians, that is, of the Nations that live North, and West, and South-West of the great River [...]. [...]aurence, and West of the Apalatian Mountains to the great River of Misissippi: We now proceed to the next Range that lie from the Mouth of St. Laurence, River North, to the Bay of Apalatie in the Gulph of Mexico South; being upon the South and South East Sides of the River St. Laurence, and East Side of the [Page 183] Apalatian Mountains or great Blue Hills, which reach from the ^* Niagara Falls in the Streights between Lake Onta­rio and Eri [...] N. Lat. 43 d. to the Bay of Apalachie in N. Lat. 30 d. these Mountains are generally 300 Miles from the Atlantick Shore; all the Runs of Water from their East Side, falls into the Atlantick Ocean, and these from the West Side into the grand River Misissippi.

II. The MIKAMAKES of L' Accadie or Nova-Scotia, some of them live along Cape-Sable Shore, some at Green-Bay, Menis, and Chicanicto, some in Cape-Breton Island, and St. Iohns Island: They do not much exceed 350 fight­ing Men; they continue in the French Interest, from our bad Management, notwithstanding that the whole Pro­vince was quit-claim'd to us by the Peace of Utrecht 1713; from this same Neglect or wrong Conduct it proceeds, that the French are allowed to keep five Mis­sions in this Province, viz. That of Annapolis River, of Cape-Sable Shore, of Menis, of Chicanicto, and St. Iohn's River; the Bishop of Quebec in Canada is allowed to be their Superior and Constituent, and they act by his Di­rection.

The ABNAQUIES, properly the New England Indian Nation, reach East and West from the Bay of Fundy (to describe the Indian Nations as Geographers in Europe do Countries, by Latitudes and Longitudes; would be stiff, pedantick, not accurate, and of no Use) to Hudson's or New-York River and Lake Champlain or Corlaer; North and South from the St. Laurence or Canada great River, to the Atlantick Ocean: They are in many Tribes, but dwindle much and become less formidable; their In­tercourse with the British and French has introduced ad­ditional Distempers amongst them particularly those [Page 184] which proceed from the immoderate Use of Spirits, Brandy or Rum; hence they become more indolent, and are straightned for Subsistence; their Hunting fails them, they have but few Deer and Beaver; a small Matter of Indian Corn and Kidney-Beans which their Squaas or Women plant, is at present a considerable Part of their Subsistence; they consisted of many Tribes, some extinct, some extinguishing, and the others much reduced, ^* let us enumerate them in their natural Order. 1. The Indians of St. Iohn's River, these belong to Nova Scotia, and have a French Missionary Priest; the Mouth of St. Iohn's River in the Bay of Fundy, is about 10 Leagues from Annapolis-Royal. The St. Iohn's River Indians in travelling to Quebec go up this long River, and carry to a short rapid River which falls into the River of St. Laurence a few Leagues below Quebec; they do not exceed 150 fighting Men. 2. Penobscot Indians are within the Massachusetts-Bay Grant, have a French Missi­onary; they lay upon a great Bay of the same Name, their Numbers not exceeding 150 Men fit to march; they travel to Quebe [...] up the small River of Penobscot which comes from the Westward, and carry to Quenebec River a little above Taconick Falls, and thence fol­low the same Rout with the Quenebec Indians. 3. Sheep­scut Indians in the Massachusetts Grant, upon a River of the same Name, which falls into Sagadahock (formerly called Sagatawooke) River or rather Bay, from the East­ward; not exceeding two or three Families existing Anno 1747. 4. Quenebec Indians, in the foresaid Grant, upon the River of the same Name, being the middle and [Page 185] principal River of Sagadahock, their principal Settlement or Head-Quarters is at Norridgwoag about 100 Miles up Northward from the Entrance of Sagadahock; they were much reduced in their War or Rebellion, in the Time of the wise Administration of William Dummer, Esq They have a French Missionary, and travel to Quebec up Quenebec River, and from the Head thereof, by several Ponds and Carrying-Places to the short rapid River La Chaudiere which falls into St. Laurence River about four Leagues above Quebec; at present they do not exceed 60 fighting Men. 5. Amerescogin Indians upon Pegepscut or Brunswick River, which falls into the West Side of Sagadahock, they may be said extinct. 6. Pigwacket In­dians on Saco River (they are in two Settlements Pig­woket and Ossepee (at Ossepee Pond, Lovel and his Party of Voluntiers were cut off by the Indians, Anno 1724) lies about 50 Miles above Winter-Harbour, the Mouth of Saco River; at present not exceeding a Dozen fight­ing Men, and formerly did travel (at present they are in the British Interest) to Quebec via Connecticut River up, and St. Francois River down to Canada River. 7. The Pennycook Indians, upon Merrimack River in New-Hampshire Jurisdiction, but lately quite extinct. 8. The Wanonoak Indians, on the Rivier Puante, called the Mission of Besancourt, over against Les Trois Rivieres 30 Leagues above Quebec, at this Time in the Canada Ju­risdiction, about 40 fighting Men. 9. The Arousegunte­cook Indians, upon the River and Mission of St. Francois, about 40 Leagues above Quebec, in the Canada Jurisdic­tion, not exceeding 160 Men fit to march. 10. Masi­assuck Indians, on the East or Dutch Side of Lake Champ­lain; in the French Interest, do not exceed 60 fighting Men. Thus the Abnoquie extensive Nation of Indians, does not exceed 640 fighting Men fit to march.

The IROQUOIS Indians. We call them Mohawks, the Name of one of the Five or Six united Nations; thus the seven united Provinces of the Baligick Netherlands are called Holland from the Pro [...]ince of Holland, and the [Page 186] ten Spanish, now Austrian Provinces there; are called Flanders from the Province of Flanders: They head or lie North of our Provinces of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and some Part of Virginia; the Senacaas reach a great Way down Sesquahana River, the Tribe of about 100 Souls called Shaumakins, lie below the Forks of Ses­quahana about 120 Miles West from the Forks of De la Ware River. In all publick Accounts they are lately called the Six Nations of New-York Friend Indians, the Tuscararoes, Emigrants from [...]he old Tuscararoes of North-Carolina, lately are reckoned [...]s the Sixth; we shall rec­kon them as formerly. 1. The Mohawks, they live upon the Mohawks or Schenectady River; they have a Castle or Village Westward from Albany 40 Miles, an­other 65 Miles West from Albany: The Number of their fencible Men about 160. 2. Oneidaes about 80 Miles from the Mohawks second Village, consisting of near 200 fighting Men. 3. Onondagues about 25 Miles further (the famous Oswego trading Place on the Lake Ontario, about 200 Miles West from Albany, is in their Country) consist of about 250 Men. 4. Cayugaes about 70 Miles further, of about 130 Men. 5. Senekeas fur­ther West, about 700 marching fighting Men. The fighting Men of the Five or Six Nations of Mohawks, may be reckoned at 1500 Men, and extend from Albany West about 400 Miles, laying in the New-York, Penn­sylvania, Maryland, and Virginia Governments, in about 30 Tribes or Villages. Besides these, there is settled a little above Monreal, a Tribe of Scoundrel Runaways from the Mohawks, they are called Kahnuages of about 80 Men.

The CHOWANS on the East Side of the Apalatian Mountains, or great Blue-Hills, are reduced to a small Number, they lie West of Virginia and North-Carolina; they live North of Roanoke River. Lately our Indian Traders have found several pr [...]c [...]icable Passes cross these Mountains, and keep Stores in their West Side, or Inter­vals of Ridges; they are in continued or natural Enmity with the Tuscararoes.

[Page 187]The TUSCARAROES lie between Roanoke and Pen [...]lico Rivers in North-Carolina, do not exceed 200 fightin [...] Men; being much reduced upon their North-Carolin [...] Insurrection, Anno 1711; and many of their Natio [...] drove off, now settled with the New-York Five Nations.

CATABAWS in Course lies South of the Tuscararoe [...] a small Nation, of about 300 Men. The Catabaw [...] Chirakees, and some of the Creeks, are not stiled Subject but Allies and good Friends of Great-Britain.

^† CHIRAKEES live upon the Southern Parts and bo [...] Sides of the Apalatian Mountains, are a populous exte [...]sive Nation of about 6000 Men. Anno 1722 in a Co [...]gress with Governor Nicholson of South-Carolina, the [...] were present of the lower and middle Chirakees the Chie [...] of 37 Towns or Tribes; and with their Consent G [...]neral Nicholson appointed Wrosetasatow their Command [...] in chief. The People of South-Carolina have a consid [...]rable Trade or trucking Factory at Tunisec, a Chirak [...] Tribe upon the River Misissippi.

CREEK Indians of Florida about 2000 Men. Th [...] lower Creeks consist of 8 to 10 Tribes, and run West [...] Flin [...] River which falls into the Bay of Apalachie or Gu [...] of Mexico, by Instigation of the Spaniards, particular [...] of St. Augustine, are very troublesom to our Carolina an [...] Georgia Settlements: Especially the adjoining Tribe [...] Yamasses: For Instance, Anno 1719, there was som [...] French and Spanish Projection against Great-Britain i [...] Embrio; the Abnaquies of New-England by the Instig [...]tion of the French began to be troublesom upon the sam [...] Projection: This Projection in Europe came to [...] Maturity.

III. Indian Families, or small Tribes upon reserve [...] Lands interspersed with the British Settlements in Nort [...]America. [Page 188] Upon the lower Parts of the several [...] which run into the Atlantick Ocean in the Britis [...] Set­tlements, are several small distinct Tribes or relat [...]d [...]a­milies, which are not reckoned as belonging to the [...]ur­ther Inland large Nations: They extinguish [...]pace from the Infection of our European Distempers and Vices, it can be of no Use to follow a Detail of these perishing transitory small Tribes or Families; as a Sample, I shall enumerate those in the Province of Massachusetts-Bay.

By Act of the Massach [...]setts-Bay Assembly Anno 1746, the Indian Reserves being distinguished into eight Par­cels, Guardians or Managers for these silly Indians were appointed. 1. Upon the Eastern Part of the Promon­tary or Peninsula of Cape-Cod, in the Townships of Truro, Eastham, Chatham, Harwich, and Yarmouth; these Indi­ans go by the several Names of Pamet, Nosset, Pach [...]e, Potowmaket (here is an Indian Congregation with a Mi­nister) Sochtoowoket, and Nobscusset. 2. The Western Part of said Peninsula of Cape-Cod in the Townships of Barnstable, Sandwich, and Falmouth; called the Indians of Wayanaes (the Name of a formerly greatest Sachem in that Country) or Hyanaes, Costoweet, Mashpe, Waquo [...]t (Oyster Harbour) Scootin, and Saconosset or Woods Hole, the Ferry-Place to Martha's Vineyard. 3. The Indians of the Island of Nantucket about 900 Souls, being more than all the others together, are very useful in the Whale and Cod-Fishery. 4. Indians of Martha's Vineyard Island about 450; lately many of them have gone to settle in Nantucket, being a Place of better Employment. 5. The Indians of Plymouth, Pembroke, and Middleborough, called Namasket. 7. The Nipmugs (formerly comprehending all the small Inland Tribes from Connecticut River to Merrimack River; Blackstone or Patucket River, which falls into the Naraganset-Bay, was formerly called Nipmug River) formerly known by the Names of Cutamogs or Nipnets in the Townships and Districts of Dudley, Ox­ford, Woodstock, Killinsbay, and Douglass; the Hasana­missets [Page 189] [...] from [...] small Tribe of [...] called [...], upon a River of that Name called [...] by the [...] ▪ they are lat [...]ly [...] with the English in the Townships of S [...]effield and [...].

Excepting the Indians of [...] and M [...]rtha's- Vineyard (better imploy'd) all the others in a few Years will be extinct, most of their M [...]n were perswad [...]d to [...]n­list as Soldiers in the lat [...] Expeditions to Cuba and Car­thagena against the Spaniards, and to C [...]pe-Breton and Nova-Scotia against the Fren [...]h; scarce any of them sur­vived, and the Names and Memory of their Tribes not worth preserving.

In the other British Colonies, where any Tribes inter­mixed with our Settlements require Notice; they shall be mentioned in the proper Sections. This Article I prosecute no further.

ARTICLE 4. Indian Wars with the British Colonies in North America.

WHEN the Country of the Indians at War with us, lies upon our Frontiers but without our Grants, I call it a War in the common Acceptation; if within our Grants, but without our Settlements, I call it an [Page 190] Eruption, in our Proclamations against them it is called a Rebellion, as in all the New-England Wars with the A [...]quies▪ if intermixed with our Settlements, it is an Insurrection, such were the Wars of the Pequods, Anno 16 [...]7▪ and of King Philip and his Confederates Anno 1675.

In this Article I only mention the I ndian Insurrections or Commotions which happened from the first Landing of the English in these A [...]erican Countries, until the Bri [...]ish ^* Revolution in Favour of the Prince of Orange, Anno 16 [...]: After this Period, though our Indian Wars were generally executed by the bordering Indians, they were under the Influence, and by the Direction of the [...] Fr [...]c [...] ▪ therefore I do not reckon them as [...] W [...] ▪ but [...] Fre [...]ch Wars in America, they [...] with the British and French Wars in [...] ▪ and [...] with the European and Ne [...] Engl [...] Briti [...] Expeditions against Canada, Nova- [...] [...], we [...] short Account of them in the properSections.

[...] of the small [...] Skirmishes, at our first [...] be of [...] useful Information, and at this [...] Time is no Amusement. A rascally Fellow Cap [...] [...] Anno 1614. by S [...]alth carried off some In­dians ▪ and [...] of Europe, sold them to the [...] Moor [...] captivated from B [...]rb [...]ry; this occasioned a [...] Disgust against the English Traders upon that Coast for some Time: In New-Eng­land, excepting the Indian Wars with the [...] 1637▪ and with the [...] (called King Philip's War) and their Confederates [...] 1675▪ and the French Indian Wars with us during King William's and Queen Anne's Wars in Europe; and an Eruption Anno 1722 to 1725, when the French and Spaniards were hatching a War a­gainst [Page 191] us in Europe, which proved abortive; and our present War with the French and their associated Indians; we had no Indian War of any Kind, it is true, there have been private Rencounters between the English and Indians at Times, from sudden Flights of Passion or Drunkenness, as happens all the World over.

Upon good Enquiry it will be found, that our properly speaking Indian Wars have not been so frequent, so te­dious, and so desolating, as is commonly represented in too strong a Light (Hunger-starved, and Cold-starved were our greatest Hardships in settling) in New-England our only Indian Wars properly so called were the Pequod War, Anno 1637, it lasted three Months, and King Phi­lip's War, Anno 1675 and 1676 was of about 14 Months Continuance, and the War of 1722 to 1725.

In our Northern Parts, the Indians generally appear in small skulking Parties with Yellings, Shoutings and an­ [...] Postures, instead of Trumpets and Drums; their Indian Wood-Cry is Io-han, their War-Cry may be ex­pressed, Woach, Woach, Ha, Ha, Hach, Woach.

The Indians are not Wanderers like the Tartars, but are Ramblers, and in Time of War, according to the Seasons, they may be annoyed at their Head-Quarters, and ambuscaded or Way-laid, at their Carrying or Land travelling Places. Their Retreats or strong Places are the Swamps (Copses in a Morass) Dr. Cotton Mather, with good Propriety calls it, being inswamped, in Imi­tation of the European Term intrenched. Like the French in Europe, without Regard to Faith of Treaties, they suddenly break out, into furious, rapid Outrages, and Devastations; but soon retire precipitately, having no Stores for Subsistence, the Country is not cleared and cultivated. Their Captives if they sicken or are other­ways incapable of travelling, they kill them and save their Scalps; the English thus captivated are sold to French Families in Canada, but redeemable upon reim­bursing the Price paid, by an Order from the Governor-General of Canada.

[Page 192]Their Head-Warriors are Men noted for Strength and Courage; sometimes in their Wars they chuse a tem­porary Chief of all the Tribes of one Nation engaged (at Times some particular Tribe or Village have declined joining in War with the general Nation, thus the Nian­ticks in the Pequod War, thus the Saco Indians in the present War or Rebellion of the Abnaquies; but not with a Roman dictatorial Power, Anno 1676 Madacawando of Penobscot was chief of all the Eastern or Abnaquie Indians and Squando of Saco was his Second; Anno 1637, Sassacous was chief of the Pequod Castles or Villages.

Our Scouts or Indian Hunters in Time of War, carry Packs, which at first setting out may weigh 70 Wt. be­ing about 30 Days Provision of Biscuit, or parched In­dian Corn, salt Pork, Sugar and Ginger to qualify and animate their Drink, which is Water: Their Method of lodging, pitching, or camping at Night, is in Parcels of Ten or Twelve Men to a Fire, they lie upon Brush, wrapt up in a Blanket with their Feet to the Fire.

Towards the better understanding of the Pequid or Po­quot, and King Philip's Wars, it may be proper to know the Situation and Circumstances of their adjoining Indians as they were Anno 1637. Along Shore first were the Cape-Cod Peninsula Indians in several Tribes, the Nan­tucket and Martha's- Vineyard Island Indians; these were always in Friendship with the English Settlers: Next were the Pocassets (at present called Seconet) of about 300 fighting Men: The Pockanokets or King Philip's Men about 300 fighting Men: The Nipmugs adjoining to the Pockanokets Inland, in several Tribes, extending from Connecticut River to Merrimack River: The Naragansets from Naraganset-Bay to Pakatuke River, the Boundary between Connecticut and Rhode-Island Colonies, about 1000 Men: The Pequods from Pakatuck River to near Hudson's or New-York River: The Moheags at the Head of New-London or Thames River about 400 Men: The Connecticut River Indians in several Tribes.

[Page 193]PEQUOD WAR. The Occasions of this War, were, 1. A barbarous warlike Nation, they killed Anno 1634, Captains Stone and Norton, Traders. 2. Lords Say and Brook 1636, building a Fort at the Mouth of Connecti­cut River, near their Head-Quarters offended them. 3. Their continued killing upon Connecticut River of English Traders, upon frivolous Pretences to the Number of 30; at Length the English could not avoid a proper Re­sentment.

Anno 1635 Iuly 15. The associated Colonies of New-England made a League offensive and defensive with the six Naraganset Sachems; by one of the Articles the Na­raganset Indians confirm all former Grants of Lands made to the English: The Naraganset and Pequods were not cordial Friends with one another.

1637 In May 20, a Body of 77 English, 60 Connecticut River Indians, 200 Naraganset Indians, 100 Nianticks (a Village of the Pequods in Friendship with the Engli [...]) and 20 Men from the Garrison of Saybrook Fort, under the Direction of ^† Capt. Mason, afterwards Deputy Go­vernor of Connecticut (the 160 Men from Massachusetts-Bay under Mr. Stoughton, and the [...]0 Men from Plymouth Colony had not then join'd them) took and burnt the Pequod Fort near Mystic River (this River divides Ston­ington from Groton in Connecticut) and killed about 140 Indians; a great Body of Pequods came down from their neighbouring principal Fort, but the English and their auxiliary Indians made a good Retreat to their Boats, in all they had only two Men killed, and 16 Men wounded. The English pursued the Pequods from Swamp to Swamp with great Havock; at Length in a Swamp of Fairfield towards New-Netherlands, they were routed; their cap­tivated Children were sent to Bermudas and sold for Slaves: Sassacous their leading Sachem with about 30 [Page 194] more Pequods fled to the Mohawks and were murdered by them. In less than three Months War about 700 Pequods were destroy'd, and that Nation reduced to about 200 Men, who sued for Peace; which was granted them upon Condition of their abandoning their Name and Country, which accordingly they did, and incorporated themselves with the [...] and Moheags ^†. N. B. They had not many Fi [...] Arms.

After the Pequod War, there were at Times between the Indians and English, private mutual Injuries, some­times more general Misunderstandings and threatned Rup­tures; but the Union offensive and defensive of the four united Colonies of New-England, awed them; by this Union the Proportions were Massachusetts 100, Plymouth, Hartford, and New-Haven each 45 Men, this Union was made Anno 1643 the 19th Day of the third Month.

Anno 1645 and 1646, the Naragansets were privately hatching of an Insurrection, but were soon brought to an open Declaration of a settled Friendship with the English.

1653 ^* The Dutch of New-Netherlands were forming [Page 195] a Confederacy with our Indians, to cut off all the New-Eng [...]and Settlements, but a Peace between England and Holland prevented it.

Anno 1654, The Naraganset and Niantick Indians, made War against Montaoke Indians East End of Long-Island, but the united Colonies of New-England by fitting out 270 Foot, 40 Horse, soon brought the Naragansets to Accommodation.

PACONOKET OR KING PHILIP'S WAR. Massasoit, Chief of the Wampanogoes, whereof Pockanoket or Mount Hope Neck was a Tribe, was a good Friend to the first Plymouth Settlers: He left two Sons, Wamsucket and Metacomet, at their own Desire the Government of Ply­mouth gave them the English Names of Alexander and Philip; Alexander died Anno 1662: Philip by a formal Instrument to the Government of Plymouth Anno 1671 restricted himself from disposing any of his Lands without their Consent.

[Page 196]This Philip Sachem of the Wampanogoes or Pacanoket Indians, was naturally a Man of Penetration, Cunning, and Courage; he formed a deep Plot Anno 1675, to extirpate the English of New-England: With profound Secresy he effected an extensive Confederacy with other Tribes of Indians, viz. Pocasset, Naragansets, Nipmugs, Connecticut River Indians, several Tribes of the Abnaquies our Eastern Indians; the Canada French were in the Scheme, and by their Emissaries endeavoured to keep up the Spirit of Insurrection; the Dutch from Albany were suspected of supplying these Indians with Ammunition. By the New-Plymouth Grant we find the Pocanoket Indians extended up Patuket or Blackstone formerly Nipmug River to the Nipmug Country; but this Boundary could not be ascertain'd, by the late Commissioners for settling the Line between Plymouth and Rhode-Island Colonies.

Philip began his Insurrection Iune 24. 1675, by killing of nine Englishmen in Swanzey, adjoining to Mount-Hope his Head-Quarters. The English suspecting the Nara­gansets, a powerful Nation, might join Philip, marched an armed Force into the Naraganset Country, and awed them into a Treaty of Peace and Friendship; but not­withstanding (such is Indian Faith) they joined Philip as does appear in the Sequel.

Beginning of Iuly the Pocassets beg [...]n Hostilities. In a Pocasset Swamp, King Philip and his confederate Po­cassets, were environed by the English, but by Night made their Escape to the Nipmug Country, leaving about 100 Women and Children. Middle of Iuly the Nipmugs be­gin Hostilities by Depredations in Mendon. August 25 the Connecticut River Indians begin Hostilities by annoy­ing the neighbouring English Settlements.

In August the Eastern Indians, viz. Pennycooks of Mer­rimack, Pigwokets of Saco, and Amarescogins of Pegepscut Rivers, break out and by December they killed about 50 English, with their own Loss of about 90 In­dians. The Severity of the Winter brought these Tribes of Eastern Indians to a formal Peace, but by Sollicitation [Page 197] of Philip they broke out again next Summer and were joined by the Quenebec Indians, kill several English, and destroy their Stock; but Philip being killed they soon came in and submitted.

The Enemy Indians, imagining that upon the Footing of the late Treaty, the English would deem the Naragan­sets as Neutrals, in Winter retired to the Naraganset Country; but for very good Reasons the English, jealous of the Naragansets, send thither 1000 Men, whereof 527 from Massachusetts, under the Command of Governor Winslow of Plymouth, they were increased to 1500 Men by an Addition of some neighbouring Friend Indians; December 19, they attack the Indians in their Fort or Swamp, and kill'd about 700 Indians, besides Women and Children, with the Loss of about 85 English killed, and 150 wounded; the Swamp is called Patty-squamscut.

Notwithstanding of this Disaster, the Indian [...] [...] skulk­ing Parties out all Winter, they kept the Field better than the English, and harassed our People much; they did Damage in the Town of Plymouth, and within a few Miles of Boston, and the English were obliged to keep close in Garrison-Houses. In the Spring the Mohawks having some Difference with the Abnaquies favoured the English; and the Indians being much harassed by Fa­mine (they had little Produce, because of the War, from their planting Grounds last Crop) Fevers and Fluxes; the Massachusetts Government very wisely issued a Pro­clamation Iuly 8. 1676, promising the Hopes of a Pardon to all Indian Enemies or Rebels, who should come in within 14 Days; many submitted, many withdrew to their respective peculiar Abodes; some travel'd Westward towards Hudson's River, were pursued and kill'd. Philip was reduced to skulk about, and in a Swamp of Mount Hope his own Country, with 6 or 7 of his Followers was kill'd August 12, 1676.

During Philip's War about 3000 Indians were kill'd, captivated and submitted, the Naragansets from a large Body reduced to about 100 Men. The War being over, [Page 198] about 400 Indians by Order met at Major Waldron's of Catchecho; 200 were culled out, who had been notorious­ly wickedly mischievous; of these a few suffered Death, the others (of the 200) were transported and sold forSlaves.

King Philip's or Bristol Neck was sold towards defray­ing the Charges of the War, and afterwards by the Ge­neral Court incorporated by the Name of Bristol with some peculiar Privileges and Exemptions.

The Colony of Connecticut was scarce touched in this War. We have no Record of Rhode-Island Assistance.

After Philip's War, there were no more Insurrections or Rebellions of our intermixed Indians: The following Wars were by Eruptions and Incursions of the Indians within our Grants, but without our Settlements, by In­stigation of our natural Enemies the French of Canada, viz. from Autumn Anno 1688 (some short Truces inter­veening) to Ianuary 7. Anno 1698, 9, and from August 16. Anno 1703, to Iuly 17. Anno 1713: and from Spring 1744, when there were mutual Declarations of War in Europe of the British and French; this War still subsists at this present writing September 1747. Here we may observe that our Eastern Indians in this pending War have not annoyed our Settlements Eastward, being called off by the French to Crown-Point; from Crown-Point the French and their Indians have done considerable Damage upon the New-York and Massachusetts Western Frontiers; and to Nova-Scotia, by investing of the Fort of Annapo­lis-Royal, and by the Massacre of our People at Menis, they have considerably incommoded us. The late Dis­asters of the French Expeditions under Duke d'Anville and M. La Ionquiere against Cape-Breton, Nova-Scotia, and our other Settlements in North-America, have made the French desist [...]rom any farther Enterprizes in Nova-Scotia, and our Eastern Indians being dismissed from that Ser­vice, have lately appeared against our Forts of Pemaquid and Georges.

Our Wars with the Indians in the Reigns of King William and of Queen Anne, and the present War are [Page 199] intermixed with Expeditions from Europe, they are not meerly Indian; we refer them to the subsequent Sections.

GOVERNOR DUMMER'S WAR against the Indians may be reckoned purely Indian, we shall give some short Ac­count of it. The Canada French perceiving our Eastern Settlements advance apace, set their Quenebec Missionary Father Ralle a Jesuite to Work; he made these Indians jealous of the English by telling them, that these Lands were given by GOD unalienably to the Indians and their Children for ever, according to the Christian sacred Ora­cles. Anno 1717 The Indians began to murmur, and after some Time gave the English Settlers formal Warn­ing to leave the Lands within a set Time, at the Expi­ration of the Time they committed Depredations by de­stroying their Cattle and other Stock: The Missionary, with a Priestly Heat began the Affair too precipitately, before the receiving of Directions from France, as appears by a Letter from M. Vandreuil Governor-General of Ca­nada to this Father "he could not tell, how far he might intermeddle in the Affair, until he had particular Instruc­tions from the Council of the Navy in France;" all the French Colonies are under the Direction of that Board: And the Small-Pox (which the Indians with good Rea­son dread) prevailing in New-England, Anno 1721, pre­vented a declared Rupture until Anno 1722. Iuly 5. the Government of Massachusetts-Bay proclaimed them Re­bels, and ordered 100 £. per Scalp to Voluntiers fitted out at their own Charge, and afterwards 4 s. per Day be­sides: Our most considerable Action against them was at Noridgwoag of Quenebec River August 12. Anno 1724, their fighting Men being just come Home from Scout­ing; Capt. Harman with 200 Men in 17 Whale-Boats go up Quenebec River, surprize the Indians at Naridgwog, bring off 26 Indian Scalps, and that of Father Ralle; Indians kill'd, and drowned in their Flight cross the River, were computed to be Eighty: Capt. Lovel a Voluntier, with 44 Men sets out, via Ossipy Pond, for Pigocket ▪ was intercepted by about 70 Indians, he [Page 200] and about 14 of his Men were killed, and many wound­ed.

The French and Indians of Nova-Scotia were concern'd in this War, they made a vain Assault upon the Fort of Annapolis-Royal, and did some Damage at Canso.

The Delegates from the 5 or 6 New-York Indian Na­tions, and from the Mohegin or Hudson's River Indians, and from the Scatacooks, came to Boston, received Pre­sents, gave fair Promises of acting in our Favour, but did nothing.

We sent Commissioners to the Governor-General of Canada, to expostulate with him concerning his encourag­ing the Indian Depredations, and to reclaim Captives: His Answer was, that these Indians were independant Nations, and not under his Direction; this was a meer Evasion.

After many Bickerings, by good Management in the wise Administration of Lieutenant-Governor Dummer, the Indians beg'd and obtain'd a Cessation of Arms, Decem­ber 15, Anno 1725, and a Peace the May following at Casco; saving to the Indians all their Lands not hitherto convey'd, with the Privilege of Hunting, Fowling, and Fishing as formerly: Signed by the Noridgwoag, Penob­scot, St. Iohns, and Cape-Sable Indians.

Three or four Years since, some interspersed Indians in Maryland were troublesome and occasionally kill'd some English Men; they were soon quelled.

In Virginia, in the Beginning, the Indian Incursions re­tarded them much, and Anno 1610, from 500 they, were reduced to 80; from 1612 there was uninterrupted Peace with the Indians till 1622, by a sudden general Insurrec­tion they massacred 347 English People, reckoned at that Time half of the Colony. Sir Iohn Harvey a very ar­bitrary Governor encroached much upon the Indians by making enormous Grants of their Lands, this occasion­ed another Massacre from the Indians Anno 1639▪ 500 English were cut off, especially about the Head of York [Page 201] River; this was soon over, and Peace lasted many Years. Anno 1676 some mutual Murders happened between the English and Indians in the Out-Settlements. Bacon a hot­headed young Gentleman of the Council, because, as he thought, the Assembly was too dilatory in fitting out a­gainst the Indians; in Contempt of the Government, and without a proper Commission, inlists Soldiers of his own Accord, and occasioned an intestine civil Mutiny of the white People against the Government, and obliged the Governor Berkley to fly t [...] the remote County of Acco­mack upon the Eastern Shore of Chesapeak Bay: To quell this Commotion a Regiment of Soldiers was sent from England, but Bacon dying, the Commotion was o­ver, before the Regiment arrived, this Corps continued there three Years, and were dis [...]anded in Virginia; Ba­con's Body could not be found to be exposed to Infamy. This does anticipate, but at the same Time it helps to shorten the Section of Virginia.

In NORTH-CAROLINA, Anno 1711, in November the Cape Fear Indians broke out, and destroy'd about 20 Fa­milies, and much Stock: by Succours from Virginia and South-Carolina, they were soon reduced; and many of the Tuscararoes obliged to [...]ake Refuge amongst the New-York Indian Nations, where they continue, and are generally called the sixth Nation.