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A Further Account of EAST-NEW-JARSEY By a LETTER Write to One of the PROPRIETORS Thereof, by a Countrey-man, who has a great Plantation there.

TOGETHER With the Diſcription of the ſaid Province, as it is in OGILBIES Atlas, Printed in the year, 1671.

EDINBURGH, Printed by John Reid, Anno DOM. 1683.

LONDON,June the 2d. 1683.

For ROBERT BARKLEY, &c.

Sir,

BEing credibly informed, that your ſelf, with ſome other Gentlemen of Scotland, have purchaſed an Intereſt in Eaſt-New-Jerſey, (my being a Scots-man, and Wellwiſher to that Nation) puts me upon giving you this ſhort Narrative, or account of it in general, (having lived there many years, which gave me full knowledge and experience of the ſame) leſt you may be diſcouraged from the proſecution of your Intention of Settlement, as many others of your Countrey-men in like nature have been; (after a ſeeming Reſolution to effect their Deſignes) to our great diſhonour and detriment, and to enthraldom, and perpetual Slavery of ſome thouſands of our poor Labourers; who, if they could be made ſenſible of the difference between their preſent State or Condition, and the hight of good Living, which in a few years (by GODS Bleſſing and their own Induſtrie) they may accompliſh with half the Labour, many of them uſe in their own Country, (the Soil being ſo Rich and Fertile, and rendring Increaſe beyond Imagination, and ſurpaſſing ours) would uſe all means poſſible, for their ſpeedy Tranſportation thither.

The Country is in general as followeth,

Impr. As to the Climate, it is Moderate and Healthy, having Winter and Summer as Britain, the Summers there being a little ſhorter, and in the Winters their dayes longer.

Item. As to the Soyl, it is Rich and Fertile, endued with much good Timber, and great quantities of Freſh and Salt Meadows; as alſo, much Meadow-ground, which is Arrable, and ſo Rich and Deep of Black-mould, that it is never to be worn out; well accommodated with Salt and Freſh Rivers, good Fiſhing, great plenty of Deers, and wild Fowl; Produces all ſort of Engliſh-grain, with great Increaſs, beſides Indian-corn, upon which is unexpreſſible Increaſe.

Item. There is great ſtocks of Cattle, Sheep, and Hogs, good Oxen, and plenty of Horſes, all ſort of Dunghil-fowl, and all to be purchaſed at very reaſonable rates.

Item. There is ſettled upon the ſame very good Towns, and many out-Plantations, and good Buildings, good Orchards; and affords much Syder.

Item. The Countrey is vaſt and large, and wanteth nothing, ſo much as People which would certainly be ſupplied in a little time were this Diſcription publiſhed, and the truth of it ſo well known to many, as to my ſelf, who am not capable at preſent (in reſpect of time, and this being only general) to deſcribe half of what may be for your and their encouragement. Onely this, that the difference is unſpeakable (as I appeal to every Mans reaſon) between ſettling a Countrey remote from your Plantations (where cannot be expected any ſpeedy Supplies of Proviſions, Milk, Cattle, and many other things; and that wherein is plenty of every thing already) I ſhall deſiſt from giving you further trouble at preſent, and take leave to ſubſcribe,

Sir,

Your Friend and Servant, GEO: LOCKHART.

The Diſcription of AMERICA, By JOHN OGILBIE, Printed in the Year 1671. In his Book, Fol. 168.181.182.

WEſtward of After-skull-River before mentioned, about 18. or 20. miles, runs in Rariton-River Northward, into the Countrey ſome ſcores of miles, both ſides of which River are adorned with ſpacious Meadows, enough to feed thouſands of Cattle. The Wood-land is very good for Corn, and ſtored with wild Beaſts, as Deer, Elks, and an innumerable multitude of Fowl, as in other parts of the Countrey. This River is thought very capable for the erecting of ſeveral Towns, and Villages on each ſide of it; no place in the North of America having better convenience for the maintaining of all ſorts of Cattle for Winter and Summer food.

Upon this River is no Town ſettled, onely one at the mouth of it; but next to it, Weſtward, is a place called Hewaſons, where are 2. or 3. Towns and Villages ſettled upon the Sea-ſide, but none betwixt that and Delawar-Bay, which is about 60. miles, all which is a Rich Champain Countrey, free from Stones, and indifferent levell, having ſtore of excellent good Timber, and very well Watered, having Brooks, or Rivers, ordinarily, one or more in every miles travel. This Countrey is Peopled onely with wild Beaſts, as Deers, Elks, Bears, and other Creatures; ſo that in a whole dayes journey, you ſhall meet with no Inhabitants, except a few Indians. It is alſo full of ſtately Oaks, whoſe broad-branch-tops ſerve for no other uſe, but to keep off the Suns heat from the wild Beaſts of the Wilderneſs, where is〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉6graſs as high as a Mans middle, which ſerves for no other end, except to maintain the Elks and Deers, who never devour a hundred part of it, than to be burnt every Spring to make way for new. How many poor People in the World would think themſelves happy, had they 1. Acre or 2. of Land? whilſt there is hundred, nay thouſands of Acres that would invite Inhabitants, &c.

We ſhall conclude our Diſcourſe of this Countrey, with a notable Character given hereof by a late Writer, as to the great Advantage of Happy living in all reſpects, for whoſoever ſhall be pleaſed to betake himſelf thither to live.

If there be any Terreſtical Happineſs (ſaid he) to be had by any People, eſpecially of an inferiour Rank, it muſt certainly be here. Here any one may furniſh himſelf with Land, and live Rent-free; yea, with ſuch a quantity of land, that he may weary himſelf with walking over his Fields of Corn, and all ſorts of Grain; and let his ſtock amount to ſome hundreds, he needs not fear their want of Paſture in the Summer, and Fodder in the Winter; the Woods affording ſufficient Supply, where you have Graſs as high as a Mans Knees; nay, as high as his Weaſt, interlaced with Pea-vines, and other weeds, that Cattle much delight in, as much as a Man can paſs through. And theſe Woods alſo every mile, or half mile, are furniſhed with Freſh Ponds, Brooks, or Rivers, where all ſorts of Cattle, during the heat of the day, do quench their thirſt and cool themſelves. Theſe Brooks and Rivers being Inviron'd of each ſide with ſeveral ſorts of Trees, and Grape-Vines, Arbor-like interchanging places, and croſſing theſe Rivers, do ſhade, and ſhelter them from the ſcorching beams of the Sun. Such as by their utmoſt labours can ſcarcely get a living, may here procure Inheritances of Lands and Poſſeſſions, ſtock themſelves with all ſorts of Cattle, enjoy the benefit of them whilſt they live, and leave them their7 Children, when they die. Here you need not trouble the Shambles for meat, nor Bakers, and Brewers for Bear and Bread, nor run to a Linnen-draper for a ſupply; every one making their own Linnen, and a great part of their Wollen Cloath for their ordinarie wearing. And how prodigal (if I may ſo ſay) hath Nature been to furniſh this Countrey with all ſort of wild Beaſts and Foul, which every one hath an intereſt in; and may hunt at his pleaſure; where, beſides the pleaſure in hunting, he may furniſh his houſe, with excellent fat Veniſon, Turkies, Geeſe, Heath-Hens, Crans, Swans, Dukes, Pigeons, and the like, and wearied with that, he may go a Fiſhing, where the Rivers are ſo furniſhed, that he may ſupply himſelf with Fiſh, before he can leave of the Recreation. Here one may travel by land upon the ſame continent hundreds of miles, and paſs through Towns, and Villages, and never hear the leaſt complaint for want, nor hear any ask him for a farthing. Here one may lodge in the Fields, and Woods,•travel from one end of the countrey to another, with as much ſecurity as if he were lock'd within his own Chamber. And if one chance to meet with an Indian-town, they ſhall give him the beſt entertainment they have, and upon his deſire direct him on his way. But that which adds happinnſs to all the reſt, is the healthfulneſs of the place, where many people in twenty years time never knew what ſickneſs is, where they look upon it as a great mortality if two or threee die out of a Town in one years time. Beſides the ſweetneſs of the air, the countrey it ſelf ſends forth ſuch a fragrant ſmell, that it may be perceived at Sea, before they can make to land; no evil Fog or Vapour doth any ſonner appear, but a North-Weſt, or Weſterly wind immediately deſolve it away. Moreover, you ſhal ſcarce ſee a houſe, but the South-ſide is begirt with hyves of Bees, which increaſe after an incredible manner. So that, if there be any Terreſtical Canaan, it is ſurely here, where the land floweth with Milk and Hony.

FINIS.

About this transcription

TextA further account of East-New-Jarsey by a letter write [sic] to one of the proprietors thereof, by a countrey-man, who has a great plantation there Together with the discription of the said province, as it is in Ogilbies atlas, printed in the year, 1671.

AuthorLockhart, George, fl. 1683..

Extent Approx. 10 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 7 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images.

Edition1683

SeriesEarly English books online.

Additional notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A88410)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 170880)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2502:11)

About the source text

Bibliographic informationA further account of East-New-Jarsey by a letter write [sic] to one of the proprietors thereof, by a countrey-man, who has a great plantation there Together with the discription of the said province, as it is in Ogilbies atlas, printed in the year, 1671. Lockhart, George, fl. 1683., Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.. 7, [1] p. printed by John Reid,Edinburgh :Anno Dom. 1683.. (Letter signed at end: Geo: Lockhart.) ("The description of America, by John Ogilbie, printed in the year 1671." begins on page 5.) (Reproduction of original in the John Carter Brown Library.)

Languageeng

Classification

New Jersey -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Early works to 1800.
America -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800.

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STC Wing L2777A
STC ESTC R231909
EEBO-CITATION 99897508
PROQUEST 99897508
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