The women are exceedingly handsome and polite. They are naturally sprightly and fond of pleasure and upon the whole are much more agreeable and accomplished than the men. Since their intercourse with the English officers they are greatly improved, and without flattery, many of them would not make bad figures even in the first assemblies in Europe. Their amusements are chiefly dancing in the winter, and in the summer forming parties of pleasure upon the Schuilkill, and in the country. There is a society of sixteen ladies and as many gentlemen called The fishing company, who meet once a fortnight upon the Schuilkill. They have a very pleasant room erected in a romantic situation upon the banks of that river where they generally dine and drink tea. There are several pretty walks about it, and some wild and rugged rocks which together with the water and fine groves that adorn the banks, form a most beautiful and picturesque scene. There are boats and fishing tackle of all sorts, and the company divert themselves with walking, fishing, going up the water, dancing, singing, conversing, or just as they please. The ladies wear an uniform and appear with great ease and advantage from the neatness and simplicity of it. The first and most distinguished people of the colony are of this society; and it is very advantageous to a stranger to be introduced to it, as he hereby gets acquainted with the best and most respectable company in Philadelphia. In the winter when there is snow upon the ground it is usual to make what they call sleighing parties. He says of New York society:-- The women are handsome and agreeable though rather more reserved than the Philadelphian ladies. Their amusements are much the same as in Pensylvania; viz balls and sleighing expeditions in the winter, and in the summer going in parties upon the water and fishing; or making excursions into the country. There are several houses pleasantly situated upon East River near New York where it is common to have turtle feasts; these happen once or twice in a week. Thirty or forty gentlemen and ladies meet and dine together, drink tea in the afternoon, fish and amuse themselves till evening and then return home in Italian chaises, a gentleman and lady in each chaise. In the way there is a bridge, about three miles distant from New York which you always pass over as you return, called the Kissing Bridge where it is a part of the etiquette to salute the lady who has put herself under your protection. It is evident from these quotations and from the testimony of other contemporary authors that one of the chief winter amusements in New York and Philadelphia and neighboring towns was through sleighing-parties. Madam Knights, of Boston, writing in 1704 of her visit to New York, said:--