Burrillville; as it Was, and as it Is. By Horace A. Keach. Providence: Knowles, Anthony & Co., 1856. 12mo, 170 pp. THIS is a very pleasing local history, very complete in its statistics, and evincing no little skill in the writer, who has invested the annals of this little town with interest, and told them gracefully, without extravagant eulogy or heavy dulness. Miscellany. to 1860. Prepared the Boston City Charter in 1822. He was an active member of the Boston Library Society, the Humane Society, Massachusetts Historical Society, Massachusetts Congregational Charitable Society, Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North America, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. NATHANIEL INGERSOLL BOWDITCH died on the of April, 1861, at Boston. Son of Dr. Nathaniel Bowditch, born at Salem, Jan. 17, 1805. Admitted to the bar in 1825, and the best conveyancer of the day. Mr. Bowditch was known, respected, and beloved by the community and his friends as a man of fine intellect, strictest integrity, indomitable diligence, and generous impulses. No good cause ever asked in vain the generous sympathy of his heart, or the help of his hand. We have received a very extensive lithographed tabular pedigree, by Dean Dudley, well known as an able and accurate genealogist. The pedigree shows the descent of the various branches of the Dudley Family in England, through twenty-five His privately-printed work on "Suffolk Surgenerations, and includes many distinguished char-names," was the amusement of the last days of acters in English history; showing their relationship, ancestors, and posterity. We are assured by a friend that this is by far the largest pedigree of that family that has ever been published. It is the result of extensive and careful researches made by the author, personally, among the British archives. The price is one dollar a copy. Mr. Dudley intends soon to publish a history and biography of the Dudleys, in which reference will after be made to this genealogical chart, all of the names being numbered for that purpose. Those who possess facts relative to the history of their branches of the family, are requested to forward them to Mr. Dudley. THE library of Alexander Von Humboldt, numbering 12,000 volumes, has been purchased by Mr. Henry Stevens, of London, and will soon be offered for sale. Many of the volumes have manuscript notes of Humboldt, on the blank leaves. HON. DANIEL APPLETON WHITE, LL. D., died in Salem, Mass., March 30, 1861. He was born at Methuen, Jan. 7, 1776, graduated at Harvard, in 1797. Began to practise law at Salem, and was for many years Judge of Probate for Essex county, and for a time Representative in Congress. Member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. HON. LEMUEL SHAW, ex-chief-justice, died in Boston, March 30, 1861. Born at Barnstable, Mass., January 9, 1781, graduated at Harvard in 1800. Admitted to the bar in 1805. Served in both branches of the Legislature. Chief-justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, from 1830 an invalid life. THE REV. HEMAN HUMPHREYS, D. D., ex-president of Amherst College, died in Pittsfield, on Wednesday, April 3, at the age of 81 years. The deceased has long occupied a prominent place among the divines of New England. He was president of Amherst College from 1823 to 1845, and author of "Letters to a Son in the Ministry," "Domestic Education," and "A Tour in France, Great Britain, and Belgium." THE Centennial Celebration of the foundation of Poulteney, N. C., will take place on the 21st Sept.; a preliminary meeting having been held on the 3d of April to adopt a plan of action. MARTIN J. KERNEY, Esq., died at Baltimore, March 16, aged 42. He was a native of Frederick County, Md., and for a time conducted an academy in Baltimore, but studied law, and continued in practice till his death. He was, in 1852, a member of the Legislature. He edited the Metropolitan Magazine for four years, and compiled the Catholic Almanac for 1860-1. He was the author of a number of books for the use of schools. MADAME DE ITURBIDE, ex-empress of Mexico, died March 21, 1861, in Philadelphia, where she had long resided. Iturbide was proclaimed emperor under the title of Augustin I., May 1, 1822, and abdicated March 20, 1823, when a republic was proclaimed. Returning to Mexico, he was executed July 19, 1824. Madame de Iturbide was interred in St. Joseph's church. yo' honor, knowing you are not only a cheife Patron of yo' Countrie & state, but also the greatest favorer of all good designes and their authors. Noe more, but humbly beseeching yo' goodness LETTER OF JOHN SMITH TO LORD BACON, to pardon my rudenes & ponder my plaine mean Newe England is a part of America betwixt the degrees of 41 & 45 the very meane betweene the North Pole and the line, from 43 to 45. The Coast is mountaynous, rockye, barren & broken Isles that make many good harbours, the water being deepe, close to the shore. There is many Rivers & fresh springs, a fewe Savages, but an incredible aboundance of fish, fowles, wilde fruits & good store of Timber. Having noe better meanes to acquaint yo' Lp. wth my meaning than this paper the zeale love and dutie to God my Countrie and yo' honor From 43 to 41 an excellent mixed coast of I humbly crave may be my apologie. This 19 stone sand & clay, much corne, many people, yeares I have encountred noe fewe dangers to some Isles, many good harbors, a temperate aire learne what here I write in these fewe leaves, yron & steele, oare & many other such good and though the lines they containe are more blessings, that having but men skilfull to make rudely phrased then is meete for the viewe of so them simples there growing, I dare ingage myself great a judgment, their frutes I am certayne may to finde all things belonging to the building & bring both wealth & honor for a Crowne & a rigging of shippes of any proportion & good Merkingdom to his Maties posterity. The profitts al-chandize for their fraught within a square of 10 or ready returned wth so small charge & facillitie according to proportion emboldens me to say it. With a stock of £5000 I durst venture to effect it, though more than £100,000 hath been spent in Virginia & the Barmudas to small purpose, about the procuring whereof many good men knowes I have spent noe small tyme labor nor mony: but all in vaine. Notwth standing within these fower yeares I have occasioned twice £5000 to be imployed that way: But great desyres to ingross it hath bred so many particular humors, as they have their willes, I the losse and the generall good the wrong. Should I present it to the Biskayners, French or Hollanders, they have made me large offers. But nature doth binde me thus to begg at home, whome strangers have pleased to make a Comander abroad. The busines being of such consequence I hold it but my duty to acquaint it to HIST. MAG. VOL. V. 25 14 leagues. 25 harbors I sounded: 30 severall Lordshipps I sawe, and as nere as I could imagine 3000 men, I was up one River fortie myles, crossed the mouthes of many whose heads the Inhabitants report, are great Lakes, where they kill their beavers inhabited wth many people that trade with them of Newe England and those of Cannada. THE BENEFITT OF FISHING. The Hollanders raise yearly by fishing (if Recordes be true) more than From Newfoundland at the least £2,000,000 £400,000 £150,000 £ 20,000 £ 10,000 These five places doe serve all Europe as well the Land Townes as Ports & all the Christian shipping with these sorts of staple fish which is transported from whence it is taken many a thousand myle-Herring, Poore John, Saltfish, Sturgeon, Mullett, Pargos, Caviare, Buttargo. Now seing all these sortes of fish may be had in a land more fertile, temperate & plentifull of all natural things for the building of Shipps, boates, howses & the nourishment for man only for a litle labour or the most part of the chiefe materially, the seasons are so propper and the fishing so neare the habitations we may there make. 3 PROOFE. The same year I sett forth from Plymouth what shippe of 200 & one 1615. sett forth in March arrived there in May, came home fraught with fish, Trayne oyle, Beavers skinnes, and all her men safe in August within 6 monethes and odd dayes. } of 50 to inhabit the Countrie according to the Tenor of his Maties Commission granted to the West parts of England. But ill weather breaking all my Mastes forced me to retourne again to Plymouth where reimbarking myself in a small barke but of 60 Tonnes I passed the English Pyrats and the French; but at last I was betrayed by four frenchmen of warr who kept me prisoner That New England hath much advantage of that sommer & so overthrew my voyage & Planthe most of those parts to serve all Europe farrtation During weh tyme my Vice Admirall that cheaper, than they can who have neither wood, salt nor food but at a great rate, nothing to helpe them but what they carry in their shipps 2 or 300 leagues from their habitacons noe Port or Harbour but the mayne sea: Wee the fishing at 4 PROOFE. The Londoners ere I returned sent our dores & the help of the land for woods, wa1616. two shippes more in July to trye the ter, fruites, fowle, Corne or what wee want to Winter: but such courses they took by the Carefresh us when we list. And the Terceras Ma-naries, and the Indies, it was 10 moneths ere they deras, Canaries, Spaine, Portugall, Province, Sa- arrived wasting in that time their seasons, victuvoy, Cecilia, and all Italye as convenient Marketts all & healthes yet within 3 months after the one for our drye fish, greene fish, sturgeon, mullett retourned were fraughted with fish Trayne oyle and Buttargo as Norway, Swethland, Luttvania, & Beavers. Polonia, Denmarke or Germany for their Herring 5 PROOFE. which is here also in aboundance for taking; they retourning but Wood, Pitch, Tarre, Soape Ashes, Cordage & such grosse comodityes: we wynes, oyles, sugars, silkes & such marchandize as the Straits afford, whereby our profitt may equallize theirs. Besides the infinite good by increase of shipping & Marriners this fishinge would breede And imployment for the surplusage of many of his Maties unrulely subjects. And that this may be, these are my proofes, (viz'): } From Plymouth went 4 shipps 1616. only to fish and trade some in February some in March one of 200 Tonnes got thither in a moneth and went full fraught for Spaine wth drye fish, the rest retourned all well & safe and all full fraught with fish, furres and oyle in 5 moneths and odd dayes. } 6 PROOFE. From London went two more one } 1 PROOFE. In the year 1614 with two shipps 1614 I went from the Dounes the third of March arrived in New England the last of Aprill. Being at Plymouth provided wth 3 1617. good shippes I was winde bound nere I had but 45 men & boyes, we built seven boates, 3 monethes as was many a 100 sayle more so that 37 did fish, myself with 8 others raunging the the season being past I sent my shippes to NewCoast. I made this Mappe, gott the acquaintance foundland whereby the adventures had noe losse. of the Inhabitants, 1000 Beaver skins 100 mar-1618. There is 4 or 5 saile gone thither this year tins & as many Otters. 40.000 of drye fish we to fish and trade from London also there is one sent for Spaine with the Saltfish, Traine oyle & gone only to fish and trade, each shippe for her furrs. I retourned for England the 18 of July & particular designe and their private endes, but arrived safe with my Company in health in the none for any generall good, where neither to Virlatter end of August. Thus in Six months Iginia, nor to the Bermudas they make such hast. made my voyage out & home & by the labour of 45 men got nere the value of 1500£ in lesse than three moneths in those grosse Comodityes. 2 PROOFE. In the year 1615 the Londoners 1615. uppon this sent 4 good shipps & intertayned the men who retourned with me. They set sail in Januarye & arrived there in March & found fish enough till half June, fraughted a shipp of 300 Tonnes which they sent for Spaine, one went to Virginia to relieve that Collonye & two came home with saltfish, Trayne oyle, furres & the salt-remayned within six moneths. } By this yo' LoP may perceive the ordinary performance of this voyage in 6 monethes, the plenty of fish that is most certainly approved & if I be not misinformed from Cannada & New England within these 4 yeares hath been gotten by the French & English nere 36,000 Beavers skinnes: That all sorts of Timber for shipping is most plentifully there; All those w retourned can testifye and if ought of this be untrue is easily proved. ch The worst is of these 16 shippes 2 or 3 of thein have been taken by Pyrates, wch hath putt such tries good beseeching your Lo' well to consider of it & examine whether Columbus could give the Spaniards any such certaintyes for his grounds, when he got 15 saile from Queene Isabell of Spaine when all the great judgments of Europe refused him! And though I can promise noe mynes of gold the Hollanders are an example of my project whose endeavoures by fishing cannot be sup feare in poore fishermen, whose powers are but weake. And the desyre of gaine in Marchants so violent; every one so regarding his private, that it is worse than slaverye to follow any publique good, & impossible to bring them into a bodye, rule or order, unles it be by some extraordinary power. But if his Matie would be please to be perswaded to spare us but a Pinnace to lodge my inen in and defend us & the Coast from such in-pressed by all the Kinge of Spaines golden powers. vasions the space of eight or ten monethes only till we were seated, I would not doubt but ere long to drawe the most part of Newfound Land men to assist us if I could be so provided but in due season for now ere the Savages grow subtle and the Coast be too much frequented with strangers more may be done wth £20 than hereafter with a £100. The facilitye THE CHARGE.-The Charge of this is only Salt, Netts, Hooks, Lynes, Knives, Course Cloth, Beades, Glasse, Hatchetts and such trashe, only for fishing & trade wth the savages, that have desyred me to inhabitt where I wille and all these shippes have bene fished within a square of two leagues the Coast being of the same Condition the length of two or three hundred leagues, where questionles within one hundred 500 sayle may have their fraught better than in Iseland Newfoundlande or elsewhere, and be at their marketts ere the other can have their fish in of the their shippes. From the west part of Plantation. England the shippes goe for the third part that is when the voyage is done the goods are divided into three parts (viz.) one third for the Shippe: one for the Company the other for the Victualler, whereby with a stock of £5000 I goe forth with a charge of £15000 for the transporting this Collonye will cost little or nothing but at the first, because the fishing will goe forward whether we plant it or noe, for the fishers report it to be the best they knowe in the Sea and the land in a short time may be more profitable. Now if a Shippe can gain 50 or £60 in the 100 only by fishing, spending as much tyme in going & coming as in staying there were I there planted seing the fish in their seasons serveth the most part of the yeare and wth a litle labour I could make all the salt I need use I can conceive noe reason to distrust, but double & triple their gaines that are at all the former charge & can fish but two monethes. And if those do give 20, 30 or 40 for an acre of ground or Shipp Carpenters, Forgers of yron or steele, that buy all thinges at a dear rate grow rich when they may have as good of all needful necessaryes for taking in my opinion should not growe poore and no comoditye in Europe doth decay more than wood. Thus Right honble & most worthy Peere I have thrown my Mite into the Treasure of my Coun Truth is more than wealth & industrious subjects are more available to a king than gold. And this is so certaine a course to gett both as I thinke was never propounded to any State for so small a charge, seeing I can prove it, both by example, reason, & experience. How I have lived spent my tyme & bene employed, I am not ashamed who will examine. Therefore I humbly beseech Yo' Hon' seriously to consider of it and lett not the povertie of the author cause the action to be less respected, who desyres no better fortune than he could find there. In the interim I humbly desyre yo' Hon' would be pleased to grace me with the title of yo' Ldps servant. Not that I desyre to shut upp the rest of my dayes in the chamber of ease & idlenes, but that thereby I may be the better countenanced for the prosecution of this my most desyred voyage, for had I the patronage of so mature a judgment as yo' honors it would not only induce those to believe what I know to be true in this matter who will now hardly vouchsafe the perusal of my relations, but also be a meanes to further it to the uttermost of their powers wth their purses. And I shal be ever ready to spend both & goods for the honor of my Country & yo' Los service, with wch resolution I doe in all humility rest At Yo' Honor service. MEMOIR OF LA SALLE TO FRONTENAC, THE following is translated from this document as given in Thomassy's "Géologie Pratique de la Louisiane:" S. Niagara river is almost unnavigable for ten leagues from the falls to the entrance of Lake Erie, it being impossible to get a bark up, except by having people enough to keep it under sail, pole, and tow, all at once; and even then with such excessive circumspection that you cannot always hope to succeed. The entrance to Lake Erie is so traversed by sand-bars, that not to risk a vessel every voyage, it must be left in a river, which is six leagues up the lake, there being no port or anchorage nearer the end of the lake. linois, on account of the sand-banks in the lake. The lake is shallow, and subject to terrible gales, without shelter, and the sand-banks preventing an approach to the islands. But it may be that with more frequent navigation the difficulties will be less, and the ports and harbor better known, as has occurred on Lake Frontenac, the navigation of which is now both sure and easy. The basin into which you enter to go from the Lake of the Illinois to the Divine river* is no way suited for communication, there being no anchorage, wind, or entrance, for a vessel, nor even for a canoe, except in a great calm; the prairies, by which a communication is spoken of, being flooded whenever it rains, by the waters from the neighboring hills. It is very difficult to make and keep up a channel there that will not at once fill up with sand and gravel, and you cannot dig into the ground without finding water; and there are sand-hills between the lake and the prairies. And were this channel possible at great expense, it would be useless, because the Divine rivert is not navigable for forty leagues from there to the great Canoes cannot pass there village of the Illinois. in summer, and there is even a great rapid this side of the village. No mines have been seen yet, although pieces of copper are found in several places when the waters are low. There is excellent hemp, and mineral coal. The Indians say they have sold‡ (seen?) yellow metal near the village, but they decribes it as too pure to be gold ore. Buffalo have become scarcer since the Illinois are at war with their neighbors; both killing and hunting them continually. the sea; New Mexico is not more than twenty There is navigation from Fort Crèvecœur to days' journey to the west of this fort. The Mahoof of a Spanish horse, which they had killed in *tontenta came to see M. de la Salle, bringing the their own country, only ten days distant from this fort, where we can easily go by river. There are on Lake Erie three great points, two of which run out more than ten leagues. They are sand-banks on which you run, before you see them, unless you take great precaution. You change direction to enter the straitt from Lake Erie to Lake Huron, where there is more water and a great current. Great difficulty at the Straits of Missilimakinac to enter from Lake Huron to that of the Illinois; the current is there ordinarily against the wind, and the channel narrow on account of the sandbars which run out from both sides. Very little or no anchorage in Lake Huron; no harbors, any more than on the Lake of the Illinois on the north, west, and south side. Many islands in both; dangerous, in that of the II *Long Point, Pointe aux Pins, Point Pelée. Detroit river. Michigan. These Indians relate that the Spaniards who make war on them, use lances more than guns. There are no Europeans at the mouth of the great river Colbert, and the monster of which the Sieur Jolliet brought a representation, is a grotesque, painted by some Indian of that river, of which no one ever saw the original. It is a day and a half from Crèvecœur, and if Sieur Jolliet had gone a little further down, he would have seen a more frightful one. not reflect that the Mosopelea, whom he marks He did *This name is applied to the Chicago, but from subsequent reference is evidently here the Desplaines. The Desplaines. The word is vendu, but it is evidently an error. |