A BRIEF RELATION OF NEW YORK,
sOiM the places thereunto adjoining formerly
called the NeaO Netherlands" de.
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called the NesO Netherlands" &c.


That tract of Land formerly called The Neso


NetherlGnds doth contain all that Land which
lieth in the North-p parts Of America betwxt Neao-
Engt0nd and Mary Land in Virginia, the length
of which Northward to the Country, as il hath
not been fully discovered, so it is not certainly
known The bredth of it is about two hundred
miles: The principal Rivers within this tract, are
f1udson's River, RGTtfGn River and DeLes0er-bay
River. The chief Islands are the MGn0hatan-
Island. Long-Island & Slater Island.


| And first to begin with the MnnGhatans Island
so called by the Indians, it lieth within land be-
twixt the degrees of Al and AZ of North latitude,
and is about IA miles long and two broad 1t is
bounded with Long Island on the South, with Sta
Main Land: and with Connecticut Colony on the
cast side of it, only part Of the Main Land be-
longing TO News York Colony, where several
Towns & Villages are settled, being about thirty
miles in bredth, doth intercept the Manohatans
Island & the Colony of Connecticut before men,
toned,


| Nea0 York is settled upon the West end of the
aforesaid Island, having the small arm of the sea,
which divides it from Long Island on the Soulh
side OF 1t, which runs away Eastward to Nei0
| England, & is Havigable, though dangerous.
For about ten miles from Neto York is place
called HeIEGGfe, which being narrow passage,
there runneth a violent stream both upon food &
ebb, & in the middle leth some Islands of Rocks
which the Current sets so violently upon, that it
threatens present Shipwrack & upon the flood is
a large Whirlpool which continually sends forth
hideous roaring, enough to alright any stran-
ger from passing further, & to wait for some Cha
ron to conduct him through; yet TO those that are
we'll acquainted little or no danger; yet place of
| great defence against an enemy coming in that
way, which small forfcation would absolutely
prevent & necessitate them to come in at the West
end of Long Island by Sandy Hook where Nut
ten Island doth force them within Command Of
the Fort at Ncw York which is one of the best
Pieces of Defence in the Norh-parts of America
| Ne,o York is built most of brick & stone, &
covered with red & black tile, & The Land being
high, it gives at distance pleasing aspect to
the spectators The inhabitants consist more of
English Dutch & have a considerable Trade
with the Indians for Berers, Otter, Raccoon
skins with other Furs as also for Bear, Deer &


Elk skins; & are supplied with Venison s. Fowl


in the winter & Fish in the Summer by the In
diGns-which they buy at an easie rate and hav-
ing the Countrey round about them they are con-
tinually furnished with all such provisions as is
needful for the life of man, not only by the Eng
lish & Dutch within their own but likewise by
the ADJACENT Colonies ...r
| The commodities vented from thence is Furs
| & skins before mentioned as likewise Tobacco
made within the Colony as good rs is usually
maue IN nudTy-Lun1 A $50 Horses Deer, Fork,
| OyL, Peasc 1oheat & the like.


Long-Island. the west end of which lies South
ward Of Ncw York, runs E lstward above one
hundred miles. & it is in some places eight, in
some twelve, in some fourteen miles broad it is
| inhabited from, one end to the other. On the
West end is four or FIVE Dutch Towns, the rest
being all English to the number Of twelve, be-
sides villages & Farm houses The Island is
most of it of very good soyle & very natural for
all sorts of English Grainf which they sowe &
have very good increase of, besides all other
Fruits & Herbs common in England, as also To-
baeeO, Hemp, Faz, Pumpkies, Melons, &c. ..


The Fruits natural to the Island, are Mul6er
ries, POsimons, Grapes great & small, HuckcIber-
rieS, CrGmbe1ries PLums of several soIts, Kosher
ries & Strawberries, of which last is such abund-
ance in June that the Fields & Woods are died
red Which the Countrey-pcople perceiving in
stantly arm themselves with bottles Of Wine,
Cream & sugar, & in stead of Coat of Male
every one takes q Female upon his horse behind
him, & so rushing violently into the fields never
leave till they have disrobd them of their red col
ours & turned them into the old habit.


The greatest part of the Island is very full of
Timber, as Oaks white s. red, Wanuttrees Ches-
nut tress, which yield store of mast for swine, &
are often herewith sufficiently fat!ed with Oak
Corn: as also Naples, Cedars, Saxifruge, Birch,
Holly, Hazel, with many sorts more.


The Herbs which the Country naturally afford,
are Purzain, white Orange, Egrimony, Violets,
Penneroyal, Alicampane, besides SaxaparilIa very
common, with many more Yea, in May you
shall see the Woods & Fields so curiously be-
decke with Roses, s. an innumerable multitude Of
delightful flowers, not only pleasing the eye. but
SMELL that you may behold nature contending with
Art, & striving to equal, if not excel many Gar
dcns in England: nay, did we know the vertue
of all those Plants & Herbs growing there (Which
time may more discovery many are of opinion &
the natives do AFFIRM that there is no disease COM
mon to the Countrey, but may be cured without
materials from other Nations.
There is several Navigable Rivers & Bays
which puts into the Northside of Long Island,
but upon the South-Side which joyns to the Sea,
it is so fortified with bars of sands & sholes that it


is sufficient defence against any enemy, yet the
Southslde is not without Brooks & Riverets which
empty themselves into the Sea, yea you shall
scarce travel mile but you shall meet with one
of them, whose Christal streams run swift, that
they purge themselves of such sinking mud &
filth, which the standing or lowpaced streams Of
most brooks & rivers westward of this Colony
leave lying, & are by the Suns exhaIation diss!
pated the air corrupted, &Tmany Fevers & other
distempers occasioned not incident to this Colony:
Neither do the Brooks & Riverets promised, give
way to the Frost in Winter or draught in Sum-
mer but keep their course throughout the year.


These rivers are very well furnished with Fish,
as Bosse, Sheeps-heads, Place, Pearch, Trouts,
EeIs Turtles, & divers others ~t4 =. b S-
The Island is plentifully stored with all sorts