CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY THE Arthur H. and Mary Marden Dean Book Fund Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924008188306 REPORT fvtmh ^rotettant Hefugee, IN BOSTON, 1687 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH By E. T. FISHER. BROOKLYN, N. Y. i868, MUNSELL, PRINTER, ALBANY. ^5 00 j PREFACE. 3HIS interefting Report, made in the ihape of Anfwers to certain Questions, by a French Proteftant Re- fugee who intended to fettle in New England, was recently extracted from the Manufcript Colledlions of Antoine Court, preferved in the Library of Geneva, and publifhed in the Bulletin Hijlorique . et Litter aire of the Societe de rmjioire du Protejiantifme Frangais, in February, 1867. It was tranflated for the Liberal Chrijiian, a religious weekly Paper, publifhed in the City of New York, appearing in November and De- cember laft, and has been carefully revifed for the prefent Edition. The Bulletin is now in the feventeenth Year of its Exiftence, and contains Matter of deep Intereft to all Proteftants, and much that is efpecially fo to the Defcendants of the French Proteftant Refugees who came hither to efqape Perfecution. iv Preface. Unluckily the fecond Letter, alluded to at the beginning of the fecond Part, and which con- tained the Author's Account of his Journey to Rhode Ifland, is loft. The following Notice, penned probably by Mons. Jules Bonnet, the accomplifhed Secretary of the Society, prefaces the Relation : " Mons. Charles Weifs has devoted to the Refu- gees in America feveral interefting and inftruftive Chapters of his Hijiory of the Protejiant Refu- gees. The following Memoir is an unpublifhed Page of this Epifode in our Annals : The Name of the Author is unknown. A Phrafe or two feem to indicate that he was a Native of Lan- guedoc. Having fet out for America two Years after the Revocation of the Edidt of Nantes, when already Numbers of Emigrants were turn- ing in the fame Direction, he was commiffioned to colled: on the Spot fuch Advices as might ferve to guide his Comrades in the Faith, and facilitate their Eftablifhment in the Land of Exile. His Narrative, divided into three Parts, one of which is unfortunately loft, is neverthelefs of the livelieft Intereft. It confifts of the fimple, honeft Preface. v Impreffions of an intelligent Obferver who notes Everything in his PafTage, omitting no ufeful Hint ; the Route to be taken, the Price of Land, the relative Value of Money, Soil, Climate, the various Prdduftions, Inftitutions already efta- blifhed, in fhort the Statiftics, both material and moral, of a dav^^ning Community." THE REPORT Fppnr^ 3ProtFsJHnt ^.FfngpF IN BOSTON, 1687. Y the Grace of God, I have been in thefe happy Regions, in perfed: Health, fince the feventeenth of the laft Month, after a PafTage of fifty-three Days, reckoning from the Downs, which are twenty Leagues from London, to Bofton, and I may fay there are few Veffels which make the Paffage in fo fhort a Time. Our Voyage was mofl: fortunate, and I can fay that, ex- 8 The Report of a cepting three Days and three Nights when we had a great Storm, the entire Remainder was only agreeable and delicious Weather ; for one and each brought Joy to our Bark. Wives, Daughters and Children came almoft every Day to enjoy themfelves on the Poop-deck. We had not the Pleafure of fifhing on the Banks, becaufe we did not come upon them; we paffed them fifty Leagues to the South ; our Courfe was almoft always from Eaft to Weft. We pafled in the Latitude of the Fejalles [Azores], diftant about fixty Leagues \ thefe are Iflands belonging to the Portuguefe, and are four hundred Leagues from England. If there were no Fear of the Corfairs of Sales [Sallee], who often cruife about thefe Iflands, Vefl'els would often come to Anchor in thefe Harbors, but thefe Pirates are the Caufe of VefTels holding a Courfe far to the North. We French Protejiant Refugee. 9 met a Number of Ships at Sea, fome coming from the fifhing Banks, others from the IjQands of America ; among others we met a Ship belonging in La Rochelle, which was coming from Mar- tinique laden with Sugar, and which had previoufly made a Voyage to Guinea, whence it had brought one hundred and fifty Negroes, and two Capuchin Fathers who had been obliged to abandon their Poft in Guinea, in View of the little Progrefs they there made. Almoft the entire Crew and the Captain are Pro- teftant. They came to our Veffel in their Launch, and promifed us they would foon come to fee us in Bofton, in order to make Reparation for having unluckily fuccumbed [to the Love of Gain ?]. They told us, moreover, that almofl: all the Proteftant Inhabitants of the French Iflands have gone ; we have feveral here B lo The Report of a in Bofton, with their whole Families. By a Ship arrived from the IjQands we have News that the greater Part of our poor Brethren who had been conveyed to St. Martin liland, have efcaped to the Ifland of St. Euftatius, which belongs to the Dutch, and there is Hope that the Reft will foon be there. You will have learned, no doubt, that one of the three Ships that tranfported thefe poor Brethren, was loft, and from her only the Crew were faved. May God pardon thefe cruel Men, who are the Caufe of thefe Sorrows, and con- vert them ! By another Ship arrived from New York, we have Letters notifying us that the Governor of [Quebec] had written a very ftrong Letter to the Governor of New York, the Grievance being that . he had fupplied Ammunition to the Iroquois who are at War with the French, faying that. French Protejlant Refugee. ii if he continued his Affiftance to them, he fhould come and fee them this Winter. The Governor of New York made him fuch Reply as he deferved, and at the fame Time ordered a Levy of three to four thoufand Men, all Englifh (not being willing to draw off the French from their new Settlements where they have Need of great Affiduity in their Work), to go into Camp this Winter on the Frontier and obferve the Movements of the French. The Governor of Virginia has Orders to hold himfelf ready with as many Men as he could raife, to come to his Affiftance, in Cafe there fhould be Need. I believe the fame Orders are here; Bofton alone can furnifh fifteen Thoufand fighting Men, and if what is told me is reliable, fhe can furnifh twenty Thoufand. If any other News tranfpires, I fhall not fail to com- municate it. I reply now concerning the 12 The Report of a Matters with which you were pleafed to charge me on my Departure, at leaft, thofe about which I have already obtained Information. [IRST. To come into this Country, you fhould embark at London, whence a Ship fails every alternate Month. The fittefl: Seafon to embark is the End of March \ or, the End of Auguft and Beginning of September are the true Seafons, more efpecially becaufe it is neither too warm nor too cold, and you are then no longer in the Seafon of the Calms, which are frequent in Summer, and which caufe Veffels to fpend four Months pafling thence. Beyond the Fad: that the Heats often occafion Sicknefs on board, there are no Fatigues to undergo, when one has by him good Store of Re- frefhments and of all Kinds. It is well. French Protejiant Refugee. 13 too, to have a Surgeon on the Ship on which you take Paflage, as we had on ours. In Regard to the Dangers, Care muft be taken to embark on a good Veffel, equipped with an ample Crew and with Cannon, and well provided with Vidlual, above all, that Bread and Water are not lacking. As for the Route, I have faid fufEcient above ; there is no Danger except in nearing the Land, and on the Banks of Sand found on the Way. We took Soundings in two Places off Cape Sable, which is near Port-Royal or Acadia, where we found ninety Fathoms. At that Time we were only twenty Leagues from Land \ we ftood off, and came upon St. George's Bank, which is eighty Leagues from Bofton, and there found one hundred Fathoms. From that Point, we took no more Soundings, for three Days after we fighted Cape Coot [Cod], which 14 The Report of a is twenty Leagues from Bofton towards the South, and on the Morrow we arrived at Bofton, after having fallen in with a Number of very pretty Iflands that lie in Front of Bofton, moft of them cultivated and inhabited by Peafants, which form a very fine View. Bofton is fituated at the Head of a Bay poflibly three or four Leagues in Circumference, fhut in by the Iflands of which I have told you. What- ever may be the Weather, Vefl'els lie there in Safety. ~ The Town is built on the Slope of a little Hill, and is as large as La Rochelle. The Town and the Land outfide are not more than three Miles in Circuit, for it is almoft an Ifland ; it would only be neceflary to cut through a Width of three hundred Paces, all Sand, which in lefs than twice twenty-four Hours would make Bofton an Ifland wafhed on all Sides by the Sea. The French Protejiant Refugee. 15 Town is almoft wholly built of wooden Houfes.; but fince there have been fome ravages by Fire, building of Wood is no longer allowed, fo that at this prefent writing very handfome Houfes of Brick are going up. I ought to have told you, at the Beginning of this Article, that you pay in London for PaiTage here twenty Crowns \_2f. 6d. each'\ and twenty-four if you prefer to pay in Bofton, fo that it is better to pay here than in London ; you have one Crown over, fince one hundred Pounds at London, are equal to one hundred and twenty-five here, fo that the twenty Crowns one muft pay at London are twenty-five Crowns here, by Reafon of the twenty-five per cent., and twenty-four is all one has to pay here ; this Increafe in the Value of Money is a great Help to the poor Refugees, fhould they bring any. 1 6 'The Report of a CECOND. There is here no Religion other than the Prefbyterian, the An- glican, Anabaptift, and our own. We have not any Papifts, at leaft that are known to us. nPHIRD. I will reply to the third Article concerning the R. \touchant le i?.] when I fhall be better informed. "POURTH. Bofton is fituated in forty- two and a half Degrees North Latitude. At this writing it is Daylight at fix O'clock in the Morning, and Night at fix O'clock ; I mean the Break of Day, there being nearly an Hour of Twilight till the rifing of the Sun. P^IFTH. I make no Reply to your fifth Article, not having as yet been through the Country. In two Days I French Protejlant Refugee. 17 am to fet out for Noraganzet. On my Return, with God's Help, I will tell you of the Goodnefs and Fertility of the Soil and what grows thereon. QlXTH. In Regard to acquiring Land, that which is taken up in the No- raganzet Country cofts twenty Pounds fterling per hundred Acres Cafh down, and twenty -five on Time, for three Years; but Payment is not made becaufe it is not known whether that Country will remain in the Hands of the Proprietors, wrongly thus called, or belong to the King. Until this Matter be decided, no Payment will be made ; in all Cafes one cannot be obliged to pay more than the Price above mentioned, and in accordance with the Terms of Contract approved before the Town-mayors. We are even afTured that if the King holds the Land, the Price C i8 'The Report of a will be Nothing, or at leaft very little, the Crown contenting itfelf with a fmall feignorial Refervation, fo that one can fell and let, the Property being one's own. The Nicmok Country is the pri- vate Property of the Prefident, and Land there cofts Nothing. I do not yet know the Quantity they give to each Family ; fome Perfons have told me, from fifty to one hundred [Acres], according to Families. CEVENTH and Eighth, to be an- fwered. "MTNTH. It refts with thofe who wifli to take up Land to take it in one of the two Countries on the Seafhore, or in the Interior. The Nicmock Country is in the Interior, and twenty Leagues from Bofton, and an equal Diftance from the Sea, fo that, when they willi to fend French Proteftant Refugee. 19 or receive Anything from Bofton, it muft be carted. There are little Rivers and Ponds around this Settlement, fruitful in Fifh, and Woods full of Game. M. Bondet is their Minifter. The Inhabit- ants are as yet only fifty- two Perfons. The Noraganzet Country is four Miles from the Sea, and confequently it has more Commerce with the Sea Iflands, as Bofton * * * [Two Words illegible], and the Ifland of Rodiflan, which is only ten Miles away. This Ifland, they tell me, is well-fettled, and with a great Trade, which I know of my own Knowledge. There are at Noraganzet about one hun- dred Perfons [of the Faith] j M. Carre is their Minifter. 'nr^ENTH. You can bring with you hired Help in any Vocation what- ever ; there is an abfolute Need of them 20 The Report of a to till the Land. You may alfo own Negroes and Negrefles; there is not a Houfe in Bofton, however fmall may be its Means, that has not one or two. There are thofe that have five or fix, and all make a good Living. You employ Savages to work your Fields, in Confidera- tion of one Shilling and a half a Day and Board, which is eighteen Pence; it being always underftood that you muft provide them with Beafts or Utenfils for Labor. It is better to have hired Men to till your Land. Negroes coft from twenty to forty Piftoles \the Pijlole was then worth about ten Francs\ according as they are fkilful or robuft; there is no Danger that they will leave you, nor hired Help likewife, for the Moment one is mifling from the Town, jou have only to notify the Savages, who, provided you promife them Some- thing, and defcribe the Man to them, he French Protejlant Refugee. 21 is right foon found. But it happens rarely that they quit you, for they would know not where to go, there being few trodden Roads, and thofe which are trodden lead to Englifh Towns or Villages, which, on your writing, will immediately fend back your Men. There are Ship-captains who might take them off; but that is open Larceny and would be rigoroufly pun- ifhed. Houfes of Brick and Frame can be built cheaply, as regards Materials, but the Labor of Workmen is very dear ; a Man cannot be got to work for lefs than twenty-four Pence a Day and found. PLEVENTH, Twelfth and Thirteenth. To be anfwered. "POURTEENTH. Pafturage abounds here. You can raife every Kind of Cattle, which thrive well. An Ox cofts 2 2 The Report of a from twelve to fifteen Crowns; a Cow, eight to ten; Horfes, from ten to fifty Crowns, and in Plenty. There are even wild ones in the Woods, which are yours, if you can catch them. Foals are fome- times caught. Beef cofts two Pence the Pound ; Mutton, two Pence ; Pork from two to three Pence, according to the Seafon ; Flour fourteen Shillings the one hundred and twelve Pound, all bolted ; Fifh is very cheap, and Vegetables alfo ; Cabbage, Turnips, Onions and Carrots abound here. Moreover, there are Quan- tities of Nuts, Chefi-nuts and Hazelnuts wild. Thefe Nuts are fmall, but of wonderful Flavor. I have been told that there are other Sorts which we fhall fee in the Seafon. I am aflured that the Woods are full of Strawberries in their Seafon. I have feen Quantities of wild Grape- vine, and eaten Grapes of very good Fre7tch Protejlant Refugee. 23 Flavor, kept by one of my Friends. There is no Doubt that the Vine will do very well ; there is fome little planted in the Country, which has grown. There is DifEculty in getting the European Vine. If fome little could be had, much more would be planted. Thofe who mean to come over thence, fhould ftrive to bring with them of the beft. rj^IFTEENTH, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, to be anfwered. 'M'INETEENTH. The Rivers are full of Fifh, and we have fo great a Quantity of Sea and River Fifh that no Account is made of them. There are here Craftfmen of every Kind, and par- ticularly Carpenters for the building of Ships. The Day after my Arrival, I faw them put into the Water one of three 24- T^he Report of a hundred Tons, and fince, th&y have launched two others fomewhat fmaller. • This Town carries on a great Trade with the Iflands of America and with Spain. They carry to the Iflands Flour, Salt Beef, Salt Pork, Cod, Staves, Salt Salmon, Salt Mackerel, Onions, and Oyf- ters falted in Barrels, great Quantities of which are taken here ; and for their Return they bring Sugar, Cotton Wool, Molafl"es, Indigo, Sago \Manihot utilijjima] and Pieces of * * * *. In the Trade with Spain, they carry only dried Fifli, which is to be had here at eight to twelve Shillings the Quintal, according to Qua- lity ; the Return Cargo is in Oils, Wine and Brandy, and other Merchandife which comes by Way of London, for Nothing can be imported here, coming from ^a foreign Port, unlefs it has firft been to London and paid the half Duty, after French Protejiant Refugee. 25 which it can be tranfported here, where for all Duty one-half per cent is paid for Importation, fince Merchandife for Ex- portation pays Nothing at all. T WENTIETH. To be anfwered. npWENTY-FIRST. You muft difa- bufe yourfelf of the Impreffion that Advantages are here offered to Refugees. It is true that in the Beginning fome Subfiftence was furnifhed them, but at Prefent there is a Need of fome for thofe who fhall bring Nothing. At Nicmok, as I have before faidj Land is given for Nothing, and at Noraganzet it muft be bought at twenty to twenty-five Pounds Sterling the hundred Acres, fo that who- ever brings Nothing here, finds Nothing. It is very true that Living is exceedingly cheap, and that with a little one can D 26 The Report of a make a good Settlement. A Family of three or four Perfons can make with fifty Piftoles a fine Settlement; but it needs not lefs than that. Thofe who bring much, do well in Proportion. T T WENTY-SECOND and Twenty- third. To be anfwered. WENTY-FOURTH. One can come to this Country, and return the fame as in Europe. There is the greateft Liberty, and you may live without any Conftraint. Thofe who defire to come into this Coun- try, fhould get themfelves naturalized [fridannifer) in London in order to be free to carry on Bufinefs in any Sort of Merchandife, and to trade with the Englifh Iflands, without which they cannot do fo. French Protejiant Refugee. 27 npWENTY-FIFTH, Twenty-fixth, Twenty-feventh. To be anfwered. The Articles to which I fail to reply are thofe of which I cannot give any Account, becaufe it is neceffary to inform myfelf exadtly, and to fee for rriyfelf. I have told you above that the Money of London gives a Profit of twenty-five per cent. Although this Advantage is evident, it is neverthelefs better to bring Merchandife upon which there is a Gain of one hun- dred per cent, including the twenty-five Exchange, for Merchandife is bought here only by Barter, and if you give Money, it is in no Refpedt to your Advantage. On another Occafion, I will give the Prices of Merchandife, and the Kinds proper for this Country here, a Thing I cannot do as yet, having only juft arrived. If I had arrived a Month or two earlier. 2 8 The Report of a I fhould have been able to fee the Crops of this Country. I have been here in Seafon to have feen a prodigious Quan- tity of Apples, from which they make a marvelloufly good Cider. One hundred and twenty Pots coft only eight Shillings, and at the Inn it is fold two Pence the Pot, two Pence the Pot for Beer. There is an inferior Quality which cofts only five or fix Shillings one hundred and twenty Pots. I am to take Rooms with one of my Friends, and have our Meals in common for the Winter, which, they all tell mCj is here very rough and long, and the Summer extremely warm, a Thing I fhali make Trial of, if God grants me the Favor of pafling it, and giving an exadl Account of all Things. At Bofton, the 15-25 of November, 1687. French Protejiant Refugee. 29 II. ilNCE my Arrival only two Veflels have left, by which I did myfelf the Honor to write you. My firft Letter was dated the 15-25 Novem- ber, '87, in which I replied to feveral Articles of your Memorandum, and in this I will try to reply to fome others. My fecond Letter was of the ift of De- cember, in which you will have had the exa6l Narrative of my Journey made to Noraganzet, and the Number of Families who are there eftablifhed. I have replied to the fecond Article of your Memoran- dum touching the Religions ; but I forgot to tell you that there is here a Temple of Anabaptifts, for as to the other Sed:s of which I fpoke in my Report concerning Noraganzet, it is only for that Country 50 'The Report of a and not for Bofton, for we have here no Religions other than the Anglican, the Prefbyterian, the Anabaptifts and our own. As for Papifts, I have difcovered fince being here eight or ten, three of whom are French and come to our Church, and the others are Irifh ; with the Exception of the Surgeon who has a Family, the others are here only in Paffage. nPHIRD. Of this third Article I have as yet no good Knowledge, although I have fought Information from thofe Perfons who are in fome Sort diftinguifhed from the others, and who I have thought could enlighten me. However, they know Nothing, perhaps are defignedly ignorant ; at all Events there is no Doubt that all is fubjed: to the Orders of H. B. M. and that we Refugees are here in entire Secu- rity. We have here no Court except a French Protejiant Refugee. 31 prefidial one which gives Judgement in civil and criminal Matters, compofed of a Prefident and twelve Counfellors who have the fame Laws and Cuftoms they had heretofore. The only additional Point is, that the Governor is prefent in Council whenever he pleafes, and it is he who holds the cafting Vote. Within a fhort Time they have increafed the Duties on Wine ; fuch as ordinarily paid only ten Shillings the Pipe pays thirty at Prefent ; and the Tavern Keepers who paid only fifty Shillings a Pipe for the Wine they fold, pay at Prefent one hundred and one hundred and twenty a Gallon [Pipe ? ] for Brandy, thirty Pence a Barrel for Cider, and thirty Pence a Barrel for Beer. As for other Merchandife, it pays as ufual half per cent. Befides this prefidial [Court], there are eight Juftices of the Peace who are for civil Cafes that come up in the Town. 32 "The Report of a Not that they can wholly fettle any Cafe ; if the Parties like Litigation, they appeal to the prefidial, or to the Council of twenty-four which is affembled only in Matters of the higheft Importance. "C^IFTH. I can reply to this Article only in Part, not having yet feen Fruit on the Trees ; but I know very well that for Fig, Orange, Lime, Olive, Pome- granate, Almond and Mulberry Trees, there are not any, the Country being too cold. Neverthelefs I can affure you that I have paffed Winters in Languedoc more fevere than this one, We have had but very little Ice, and Snow twice, a Foot deep each Time. It is alfo true that fome Englifh People have told me that it has been fifty Years fince they have feen a Winter fo mild j but what I admire in this Country is, that it never rains more than French Protejiant Refugee. 33 three Days of the Month. Ever fince I have arrived, I have remarked it; after which you have clear Days, a fine, frefh Air, on which Account one fees very little Sicknefs, and many People of good Ap- petite. The Land here is of varying Quality, as I have already told you. There is fome that is fandy; all the Reft produces very well. They gather here Quantities of Indian Corn, which is worth at Prefent only fixteen Pence the Bufhel ; they gather alfo Wheat, Corn and Rye, but not in great Quantity and all thefe do very well. Vegetables alfo; as for the Vine it will do very well ; it has only juft been planted. There is a Packet arrived from Fayal which has brought fome Cuttings. The French ftrive as far as they can to have it brought, fome the Black, others the Yellowifti, others the Red, the Sandy [Colored] excepted. E 34 Tke Report of a QEVENTH. The Ground is tilled with the Plough, and after the Ground is well prepared, a Hole is made in the Earth with a Peg, and four or five Grains of Indian Corn are put in. The Holes are equally Diftant from each other. When the Corn is high, the Ground at the Foot is hilled as much as poffible, in Order that the Wind may not cut it [down], when it comes to be laden with Ears. Other Grain is fown as in Europe. T^IGHTH. Land here is charged with no Tax, up to the prefent Time. I told you of the Manner it can be obtained, at Noraganzet. There are here divers French Families who have purchafed Englifh Refidences all built, and which they have got exceedingly cheap. M. de French Protejiant Refugee. 35 Bonrepos, Brother of our Minifter, has bought one fifteen Miles from here, and at one League from a very pretty Town, and where there is a great Trade, which they call Sallem, for fixty-eight Piftoles, of ten Livres of France each. The Houfe is very pretty, and it never was built for fifty Piftoles. There are feventeen Acres of Land all cleared, and a little Orchard. M. Legan, a French Merchant Goldfmith, has bought one twelve Miles from here toward the South, on the Seafhore, where he has a very pretty Houfe and ten Acres and a half of Land for eighty Piftoles, of ten Livres of France each. He has alfo his Share in the Commons, where he can fend his Cattle to Pafture, and cut Wood for his Needs, and for felling here, it being conveniently fent by Sea. Similar Chances offer every Day, and Farms to be let on Shares as many as you will, and 36 TTje Report of a at a moderate Price. M. Mouflet, one of our French People, finding himfelf burdened with a Family, is renting one which they gave him for eight Piftoles a Year; there is a good Houfe, and twenty Acres of cleared Land. He can make fix to feven Barrels of Cider, and the Owner gives him the Profit of two Cows. If our poor Refugee Brethren who underftand tilling Land, fhould come hither, they could not fail of living very comfortably and getting rich, for the Englifh are very inefficient, and underftand only their Indian Corn and Cattle. Here in Bofton there are not more than twenty French Families, and they are every Day diminifhing, on Account of departing for the Country to buy or hire Land and to ftrive to make fome Settle- ment. They are expelled this Spring from all Quarters. Two young Men have French Proteftant Refugee. 37 lately arrived from Carolina, who give fome News of that Country; efpecially they fay they never faw fo miferable a Country, and fo unhealthful a Climate. They have Fevers there during the whole Year, fuch as that thofe attacked rarely recover ; that if there be fome who efcape their EfFed:, they become all leather- colored, as are thefe two who have arrived, who are Objects of Compaflion. More- over the Heats there are fo fevere, that it is almoft impoffible to endure them, and that they infedled the Water, and confe- quently caufed Sicknefs, there being no other Drink than that. They give the farther Intelligence that before their De- parture a VelTel from London had arrived, in which were one hundred and thirty Perfons, the Crew of the Veflel included, of whom one hundred and fifteen died as foon as they landed, all from the malignant 38 The Report of a Fevers fpreading among them. There are about eighty Perfons who are coming from Carolina to make a Settlement here or at New York. M. Gaillard, whom my Father knows, has arrived with his whole Family in Carolina, and M. Brie de Montpelier. M. Delbos is in good Health, and was to fet out by the firft Opportunity for New York or here. qpWELFTH. To this Article touching the Savages I have made Anfwer in my Report of Noraganzet. [This is in the miffing Part.] n^HIRTEENTH. As for wild Beafts, we have here plenty of Bears, and Wolves in great Number who commit Ravages among the Sheep, if good Pre- cautions are not taken. We alfo have here plenty of Rattlefnakes, but they Fre?ich Protejiant Refugee. 39 have not yet fliowed themfelves. I have feen only fome fmall Snakes of three Inches [around ?] and long in Proportion ; there are a great many, for they are to be feen feven or eight together. All thefe Animals flee from Man, and it doth not feem that they harm anybody. PIFTEENTH. The Englifh who in- habit thefe Countries are as elfewhere, good and bad \ but one fees more of the Latter than the Former, and to ftate the Cafe to you in a few Words, there are here of all Kinds, and confequently of every Kind of Life and Manners j not that difputing and quarreling are common with them, but they do not lead good Lives. There are thofe who pradtife no Formality of Marriage except joining Hands, and fo live in Common j others who are flxty Years of Age and are not yet 4-0 The Report of a baptized, becaufe they are not Members [of the Church]. It is about a Month fince they baptized in our Church a Woman of forty-five and five of her Children. Her eldeft might have been fixteen Years old ; the Prefbyterians would not baptize her becaufe /he had not become a Member [of the Church]. CIXTEENTH. There is Nothing to fear from the Savages, for they are few in Number. The laft Wars they had with the Englifh, twelve Years ago, have reduced them to a fmall Number, and confequently they are incapable of de- fending themfelves. SEVENTEENTH. Stone [Rafft^re-] for building Purpofes is found here and Brick, as much as you Want. It cofts fixteen Shillings a Thoufand. French Protejiant Refugee. 4.1 PIGHTEENTH. Salt is not manu- faftured in this Country ; it is brought from the Ifland of Tortilla. This Year, feveral Veffels returned from the Iflands empty, for Lack of Salt and Sugar, the Rains having laid Everything wafte; and the Sea made an Entrance into the Salt- works, M^hich diffolved the vv^hole, fo that Salt, which was worth only nine Shillings the Cafk, is worth at Prefent fourteen ; and as the Veflels are beginning to leave for the Fifheries, it may be ftill dearer. 'T^WENTIETH. With the Exception of Furs, every Kind of Merchandife is good [to bring] here and efpccially. Cloth, blue Stuffs, white Stuffs, printed Stuffs, or Eaft India Goods, Cables and Ship-tackling, and Dutch Linen for Sails. On all thefe Goods one can reckon on F 42 Report of a French Protefiant Refugee. eighty to a hundred per cent. [Profit], in- cluding the twenty-five per cent. Exchange on the Money ; all muft be fhipped at Lon- don and pay the half Duty, when the Goods are brought from elfewhere to London, for Everything muft pafs there before coming here.