neighbours, brought their productions to market as a matter of course. The Friends, before settled in and about Burlington, had already begun their thrifty Jersey traffic. Horse mills were resorted to for grinding corn, and floating windmills on the Delaware were also used. The great mill, for its day, was the "Governor's mill," a low structure on the location of the present Craig's Factory. Great was the difficulty then of going to it, they having to traverse the morass of Cohoquinoque, (since Pegg's marsh and run,) and on the northern bank of which the Indians were still hutted; thence they had to wade through the Cohocsinc creek beyond it. What a toil! Wheel carriages were out of the question in such an expedition; and boats, or canoes, either ascended the Cohocsinc, then a navigable stream for such, or horses bore the grain or meal on their backs. How rude and rural every thing then!-What a rus in urbe !-How homespun and plain in their apparel,-how hospitable yet frugal in their diet,-how universally acquainted and familiar,-how devoid of all pre-eminence and ostentation,-what freedom and frankness in their interchange of commodities,-what mutual helps and reciprocities in borrowing and lending,-what commutation of labour and services for corn and necessaries,-what certain enrichment to the "diligent hand," to prudent mechanics whose skill and labour were in constant requisition,-how plain and rude then in their household furniture,-how free to use carts or horses then, for occasions which now their descendants must accomplish in gilded equipages! "While we thus retrace with memory's pointing wand, That calls the past to our exact review," We may readily conceive that the young people of both sexes often formed exploring parties. Wishing to see the scenes which environed them, they plunged into the deep woods beyond the Dock Creek; thence making a great circuit, they have seen the then wild Schuylkill shadowed by towering sycamores and oaks, and all the intermediate woods crowded with grape vines and whortleberries. Being protected from surprise by their needful guns, they start or shoot the rabbit, the rackoon, perhaps the fox, or the heavy wild turkey. Perhaps they have met with a colony of friendly Indians, and, bent on novelty and sport, they have bargained for the use of their canoes. Into these slender vessels they have huddled, and thus have made a voyage of discovery up and down the Manaiunk, endangered all the way by the frequent leapings of the reckless sturgeons.† Even the boys of that day had their rural exploits quite close to A Mrs. Smith and her horse were both drowned in attempting to cross, at where is now the long stone bridge. And in latter times a horse and rider sunk and were lost in the quicksand there. These were then so numerous, says Penn, that many of them could be seen vaulting into the air at once, and often they fell into and overset the canoes. their own doors. There they could set snares and gins for game, and there they were sure of trapping rabbits, quails, &c. What a tramp it must have been for the urchins then to get over the great Dock Creek, and to lose themselves in the mysterious wanderings of the opposite woods. There starting and pursuing the wild game; sometimes chasing the fleet footed wild turkeys, which disdained to fly while their legs could serve their escape. If not so occupied, they found employment in gathering shellbarks, walnuts, filberts, or chestnuts; or ate of whortleberries, or blackberries, as the season and the fruit might serve. "But times are alter'd,-trade has chang'd the scene," 46. Unwieldy wealth, and cumbrous pomp repose- A person fully alive to the facts which in this new land still environ him wherever he goes, can hardly ride along the highway, or traverse our fields and woods, without feeling the constant intrusion of thoughts like these, to wit:-Here lately prowled the beasts of prey,there crowded the deep interminable woodland shade,-through that cripple browsed the deer,-in that rude cluster of rocks and roots were sheltered the American rattlesnake, just emblem of our brave, which, slow of entrance to a quarrel, are bold to sustain it.* These rich meadows were noxious swamps. On those sun-side hills of golden grain crackled the growing maize of the tawny aborigines. Where we stand, perchance to pause, rest the ashes of a Chief, or of his family; and where we have chosen our sites for our habitations, may have been the selected spots on which were hutted the now departed lineage of many generations. On yon path-way, seen in the distant view, climbing the remote hills, may have been the very path first tracked, from time immemorial, by the roving Indians themselves. Nay, it is very possible, that on the very site of Coaquanock, by the margin of the Dock Creek, on which their wigwams clustered and their canoes were sheltered,- -on the very spot where Henry, Hancock and Adams since inspired the delegates of the colonies (at the Carpenter's Hall) with nerve and sinew for the toils of war, there may have been lighted the council fires of wary Sachems, and there may have pealed the rude eloquence of Tamanend himself,-and of the Shingas, Tadeuscunds and Glikicans of their primitive and undebauched age! In short, on these topics, an instructed mind, formed and disciplined to Shenstone's muse, could not be idle! "But oft, in contemplation led, The naval flag of the revolution, besides the thirteen stripes, had a rattlesnake, with the motto "Don't tread on me." See particulars in the North Aлnerican of 24th June, 1841. VOL. I.--F FACTS AND OCCURRENCES OF THE PRIMITIVE SETTLEMENT. "I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times." "PENN's instructions for settling the colony," dated the 30th of September, 1681, had long been buried among the lumber of the Hamilton family, and they were fortunately at length discovered among other papers, in the year 1827. I herein make some extracts as worthy of particular notice and remembrance in my inquiries, to wit: It is addressed to three commissioners as then about to depart from England with people for the settlement. It refers to his cousin, William Markham, as " then on the spot," acting as his deputy, and prepared beforehand to receive them. He speaks of their ability to procure supplies on the Jersey side of the river, if the Dutch, Swedes or English already in the province should be immoderate in their prices; thus indicating the state of previous population and improvement. He shows his expectation that the "great towne" might be located at Upland, (i. e. the neighbourhood of Chester, thus agreeing with the tradition.) by saying, "let the rivers and creeks be sounded on my side of the Delaware River, especially Upland, in order to settle a great towne; and be sure to make your choice where it is most navigable, high, dry and healthy, and not swampy. It would be well, he says, if the river coming into the creek (I presume at Chester) be navigable, at least for boats, up into the country."* At the same time he admits the possibility of a previously determined location, by saying, "should it be already taken up in greater proportions, in that case they are to use their influence to have it diminished to the size in his scheme, so that a good design be not spoiled thereby." The bounds of a city are not designated; (as some have often since said†) but the Liberties contiguous thereto are recommended to comprise 10,000 acres, and to be apportioned among the purchasers in parcels equal to 100 acres of the said Liberties for every 5000 acres possessed in the country; and in cases where persons shall have a proportion * Thus showing how well they fulfilled his wishes in selecting such a preferable stream as the Schuylkill so near the city, even without his special designation of that river.Surpassing too, in advantages, the once projected site of "old Philadelphia," near the "Bake-house," the south side of Poquesink creek in Byberry, which was abandoned it is said, because of the sunken rocks found there, called the "Hen and Chickens." + Dean Prideaux's " Connexions" says he had the plan of the great Babylon in his view. of ten acres fallen to their lot by the water side, they to abate five and take those five acres more backward, and so proportionably for every other size. If, however, they could not find a site by the water side affording land enough to allow the proportion of 100 to 5000 acres, then get what they can, even though it were but 50 acres to a share. Be sure to settle the streets uniform down to the water. Let the place for the store-house be on the middle of the key, which will serve for market and state-houses too. This may be ordered when he shall come in the next season.” "Pitch upon the very middle of the plot of the towne, to be laid facing the harbour, for the situation of my house." Thus designating, as I conceive, the location of his dwelling in Lætitia Court, and intimating his desire to have it facing the river, as "the line of houses of the towne should be," and at least 200 paces from the river. He purposed that each house should be in the middle of the breadth of his ground, so as to give place to gardens, &c. Such as might "be a green country towne which might never be burnt and might always be wholesome." Finally, he recommends his commissioners to be tender of offending the Indians; to make them presents; and in his name to buy their lands, assuring them that "we intend to sit down lovingly among them." William Penn, in his letter of the 25th of 8th mo., 1681, addressed to James Harrison, then at Boulton, says, "my voyage is not like to be so quick as I hoped, because the people, on whose going his resolutions and service in going depends, though they buy, and most send servants to clear and sow a piece of land against they come, not one fifth of them can now get rid of their concerns here till spring. When they go, I go. I am like to have many from France, some from Holland, and some, I hear, from Scotland." In the same letter he annexes a power for him to sell, in England, lands of Pennsylvania, to those who will buy. And he adds, "a ship with commissioners will go suddenly in five weeks." "I eye the Lord in obtaining the country, and as I have so obtained I desire I may not be unworthy of his love, but do that which may answer his kind providence and serve his truth and people, that an example may be set up to the nations! There may be room there, though not here, for such an holy experiment." William Penn's letter of the 3d of 8th mo., 1685, to" dear Thomas Lloyd," says, "I recommend the bearer, Charles De la Noe, a French minister of good name for his sincere and zealous life, and well recommended from his own country. If he is used well more will follow. He is humble and intends to work for his bread, has two servants, and a genius to a vineyard and a garden. Let him have £40 worth of corn if he wants it. It will be of good savour, for a letter is come over (to England) from a great Professor in France to some here, to say there is no room (there) for any but Quakers," &c. These MS. letters were in my possession. "I pray J. Harrison to use the Frenchman* (a former one it is presumed) at the Schuylkill well. I hope a vineyard there (to have) for all this." Penn, speaking of the Duke of Monmouth's insurrection, says, "About 300 are to be hung in the towns, and 1000 to be transported; of whom I have begged about 20 of the king." Would it not now be a matter of curiosity to know what degrees of credit or renown some of these descendants now occupy among us! William Penn's lettert to James Harrison, of the 4th of 8th mo., 1685, (then his steward at Pennsbury,) says, " persecution is excessively high in France; not a meeting of Protestants is left. Many, and much wealth, will visit your parts." [They went generally to New Rochelle, near New York.] William Penn's lettert to his steward speaks of sending out, for his family purposes, beef in barrels, butter in casks, and candles, all from Ireland! Also a fishing net, brick-makers, masons, wheel-wrights, carpenters, &c. He asks from this country, as rarities, smoked shad and beef; also shrubs and sassafras. Some, he says, come to him to be helped over on the terms he published for the poor. In the Pastorius MS. papers in my possession, I glean the following facts of arrival and landing. He arrived in 1683, and was the founder of Germantown. He came over with a ship-load from England, in the America, Captain Joseph Wasey, and were chased, as they feared," by the cruel and enslaving Turks." He thus describes the features of the city plot: "The fortunate day of our arrival, on the 20th of 6th mo., 1683, I was as glad to land from the vessel every whit as St. Paul's shipmates were to land at Melita. Then Philadelphia consisted of three or four little cottages; [such as Edward Drinker's, Sven Sener, &c.] all the residue being only woods, underwoods, timber and trees, among which I several times have lost myself in travelling no farther than from the water side (where was his cave) to the house, now of our friend William Hudson,-then allotted to a Dutch baker, whose name was Cornelius Bom. What my thoughts were of such a renowned city (I not long before having seen London, Paris, Amsterdam, Gandt, &c.) is needless to rehearse; but what I think now (in 1718, when he wrote) I dare ingenuously say, viz: that God has made of a desert an enclosed garden, and the plantations about it, a fruitful field." William Penn's letter of the 28th of 5th mo., (July,) 1683, to the Earl of Sunderland, says, "I have laid out the province in counties; six are begun to be seated, lying on the great river, and planted about six miles back. Our town plot has a navigable river on each side,about 80 houses are built, and 300 farms are settled contiguous to it. The soil is good-air serene and sweet, from the cedar, pine and sassafras, with a wild myrtle of great fragrance. I have had better veni I take this Frenchman to have been an ancestor of Andrew Doz, a very respectable sitizen. The family is now extinct. These MS. letters were in my possession. |