New-Englands plantation : $b with the sea journal and other writingsHigginson, Francis
History
New-Englands plantation : $b with the sea journal and other writings
Higginson, Francis
New England -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
First, in the Summer season for these three months, _June_, _July_,
and _August_, we are troubled much with little Flyes called
Musketoes, being the same they are troubled with in Lincolneshiere
and the Fens: and they are nothing but Gnats, which except they bee
smoked out of their houses are troublesome in the night season.
Secondly, in the Winter season for two months space, the earth is
commonly couered with Snow, which is accompanied with sharp biting
Frosts, something more sharpe then is in old _England_, and therefore
are forced to make great Fires.
Thirdly, the countrey being very full of Woods, and Wildernesses,
doth also much abound with Snakes and Serpents of strange colours,
and huge greatnesse: yea there are some Serpents called Rattlesnakes
that haue Rattles in their Tailes, that will not fly from a man as
others will, but will flye vpon him and sting him so mortally,
that hee will dye within a quarter of an houre after, except the
partie stinged haue about him some of the root of an Hearbe called
Snake-weed to bite on, and then hee shall receiue no harme: but yet
seldome falles it out that any hurt is done by these. About three
yeares since, an _Indian_ was stung to death by one of them, but wee
heard of none since that time.
Fourthly and lastly, Here wants as it were good company of honest
Christians to bring with them Horses, Kine and Sheepe to make vse of
this fruitfull Land: great pitty it is to see so much good ground
for Corne & for Grasse as any is vnder the Heauens, to ly altogether
vnoccupied, when so many honest Men and their Families in old
_England_ through the populousnesse thereof, do make very hard shift
to liue one by the other.
* * * * *
Now, thus you know what _New-England_ is, as also with the
commodities and discommodities thereof: now I will shew you a little
of the Inhabitants thereof, and their gouernment.
For their Gouernors they haue Kings, which they call _Saggamores_,
some greater, and some lesser, according to the number of their
Subjects.
The greatest _Saggamores_ about vs can not make aboue three hundred
Men, and other lesse _Saggamores_ haue not aboue fifteene Subjects,
and others neere about vs but two.
Their Subjects aboue twelue yeares since were swept away by a great
& grieuous Plague that was amongst them, so that there are verie few
left to inhabite the Country.
The _Indians_ are not able to make vse of the one fourth part of the
Land, neither haue they any setled places, as Townes to dwell in, nor
any ground as they challenge for their owne possession, but change
their habitation from place to place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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