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Page 28
New England is that part of America in the Ocean Sea opposite to Noua
Albyon in the South Sea; discouered by the most memorable Sir Francis
Drake in his voyage about the worlde. In regarde whereto this is
stiled New England, beeing in the same latitude. New France, off it,
is Northward: Southwardes is Virginia, and all the adioyning
Continent, with New Grenada, New Spain, New Andolosia and the West
Indies. Now because I haue beene so oft asked such strange questions,
of the goodnesse and greatnesse of those spatious Tracts of land, how
they can bee thus long vnknown, or not possessed by the Spaniard, and
many such like demands; I intreat your pardons, if I chance to be too
plaine, or tedious in relating my knowledge for plaine mens
satisfaction.
That part wee call New England is betwixt the degrees of 41. and 45:
but that parte this discourse speaketh of, stretcheth but from
Penobscot to Cape Cod, some 75 leagues by a right line distant each
from other: within which bounds I haue scene at least 40. seuerall
habitations vpon the Sea Coast, and sounded about 25 excellent good
Harbours; In many whereof there is ancorage for 500 sayle of ships of
any burthen; in some of them for 5000: And more than 200 Iles
ouergrowne with good timber, of diuers sorts of wood, which doe make
so many harbours as requireth a longer time then I had, to be well
discouered....
And surely by reason of those sandy cliffes and cliffes of rocks, both
which we saw so planted with Gardens and Corne fields, and so well
inhabited with a goodly, strong and well proportioned people, besides
the greatnesse of the Timber growing on them, the greatnesse of the
fish and the moderate temper of the ayre (for of twentie fiue, not any
was sicke, but two that were many yeares diseased before they went,
notwithstanding our bad lodging and accidentall diet) who can but
approue this a most excellent place, both for health & fertility? And
of all the foure parts of the world that I haue yet seene not
inhabited, could I haue but meanes to transport a Colonie, I would
rather liue here than any where: and if it did not maintaine it selfe,
were wee but once indifferently well fitted, let vs starue.
The maine Staple, from hence to bee extracted for the present to
produce the rest, is fish; which howeuer it may seeme a mean and a
base commoditie: yet who will but truely take the pains and consider
the sequell, I thinke will allow it well worth the labour....
First, the ground is so fertill, that questionless it is capable of
producing any Grain, Fruits, or Seeds you will sow or plant, growing
in the Regions afore named: But it may be, not euery kinde to that
perfection of delicacy; or some tender plants may miscarie, because
the Summer is not so hot, and the winter is more colde in those parts
wee haue yet tryed neere the Sea side, then we finde in the same
height in Europe or Asia; Yet I made a Garden vpon the top of a Rockie
Ile in 43-1/2, 4 leagues from the Main, in May, that grew so well, as
it serued vs for sallets in Iune and Iuly. All sorts of cattell may
here be bred and fed in the Iles, or Peninsulaes, securely for
nothing. In the Interim till they encrease if need be (obseruing the
seasons) I durst vndertake to haue corne enough from the Saluages for
300 men, for a few trifles; and if they should bee vntoward (as it is
most certaine they are) thirty or forty good men will be sufficient to
bring them all in subjection, and make this prouision; if they
vnderstand what they doe: 200 whereof may nine monethes in the yeare
be imployed in making marchandable fish, till the rest prouide other
necessaries, fit to furnish vs with other commodities....
But, to retumne a little more to the particulars of this Countrey,
which I intermingle thus with my proiects and reasons, not being so
sufficiently yet acquainted in those parts, to write fully the estate
of the Sea, the Ayre, the Land, the Fruites, the Rocks, the People,
the Gouernment, Religions, Territories, and Limitations, Friends, and
Foes: but, as I gathered from the niggardly relations in a broken
language to my vnderstanding, during the time I ranged those Countries
&c. The most Northern part I was at, was the Bay of Penobscot, which
is East and West, North and South, more than ten leagues; but such
were my occasions, I was constrained to be satisfied of them I found
in the Bay, that the Riuer ranne farre vp into the Land, and was well
inhabited with many people, but they were from their habitations,
either fishing among the Iles, or hunting the Lakes and Woods, for
Deer and Beuers. The Bay is full of great Ilands, of one, two, six,
eight, or ten miles in length, which diuides it into many faire and
excellent good harbours. On the East of it, are the Tarrantines, their
mortall enemies, where inhabit the French, as they report that line
with those people, as one nation or family. And Northwest of
Pennobscot is Mecaddacut, at the foot of a high mountaine, a kinde of
fortresse against the Tarrantines adioyning to the high mountaines of
Pennobscot, against whose feet doth beat the Sea.
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