In Dec. 1664, Gov. Nicolls by a patent dated at Fort James, in New York, granted a tract of land in New Jersey called the Elizabethtown grant. This tract was purchased of some Indian chiefs of Staten Island, by John Bailey, Daniel Denton, and Luke Watson of Jamaica, Long Isiand. This territory soon became a place of resort for reputable farmers. "The English inhabitants at the west end of Long Island, principally removed thither: and many families from New England. There were soon four towns in the province; Elizabethtown, Newark, Middletown, and Shrewsbury." Most of the Long Island emigrants "fixed about Middletown, whence by degrees they extended their settlements to Freehold and thereabouts," those from New England settled at Shrewsbury. The name of the principal town is said to have been given for Elizabeth, the wife of Sir George Carteret. The four towns, with the adjacent country, were, in a few years, well inhabited by many settlers from Scotland, some from England, and some from the neighboring colonies.

The Dutch reduced the country in 1673; but it was restored by the peace of Westminster, February 9th, 1674. In consequence of the conquest made by the Dutch, and to obviate any objections that might be made on account of it against the former grant, a new patent was issued, in 1674, to the Duke of York, for the same country. The country of New Jersey was divided into West and East Jersey. In 1676, West Jersey was granted, by the Duke of York, to the assigns of Lord Berkley; and East Jersey to Sir G. Carteret. The division line was to run from the southeast point of Little Egg Harbor, on Barnegat Creek, being about the middle between Cape May and Sandy Hook, to a creek, a little below Ancocus creek, on Delaware river, thence about thirty-five miles, strait course, along Delaware river up to 41° 40' north latitude.

In 1675, West Jersey, which had been granted to Lord Berkley, was sold to John Fenwick, in trust for Edward Bylinge. Fenwick came over with a colony, and settled at Salem. These were the first English settlers in West Jersey. In 1676, the interest of Bylinge in West Jersey was assigned to William Penn, Gavin Laurie, and Nicholas Lucas, as trustees, for the use of his creditors. Mutual quit claims were executed between Sir George Carteret and the trustees of Bylinge.

In 1678, the Duke of York made a new grant of West Jersey to the assigns of Lord Berkley. Agreeably to Sir George Carteret's will, dated December 5, 1678, East Jersey was sold, in 1682, to twelve proprietors, who by twelve separate deeds, conveyed one half of their interest to twelve other persons, separately, in fee simple. This grant was confirmed to these twenty-four proprietors, by the Duke of York the same year. These twenty

four shares, by sales of small parts of them, and by these small parts being again divided among the children of successive families, became at last subdivided in such a manner, as that some of the proprietors had only one 40th part, of a 48th part of a 24th share. West Jersey was in the same condition. This created much confusion in the management of the general proprietors, particularly in regard to appointing governors. These inconveniences, aided by other causes of complaint, which had been increasing for several years, and were fast advancing to a dangerous crisis, disposed the proprietors to surrender the government to the crown; which was accordingly done, and accepted by Queen Ann, on the 17th of April, 1702. Both territories were now united under one government and received the single name of New Jersey, and Lord Cornbury, Governor of New York was appointed governor of the united colony. Till this time the government of New Jersey was proprietory; it now became royal, and so continued till the fourth of July, 1776.

This State was the seat of war for several years, during the bloody contest between Great Britain and her Colonies. Her losses both of men and property, in proportion to the population and wealth of the State, was greater than of any other of the thirteen States. When General Washington was retreating through the Jerseys, almost forsaken by all others, her militia were at all times obedient to his orders; and for a considerable length of time, composed the strength of his army. There is hardly a town in the State that lay in the progress of the British army, that was not signalized by some enterprise or exploit. At Trenton the enemy received a check which may be said with justice to have turned the tide of the war.

In the summer of 1778, Sir Henry Clinton retreated with the British army from Philadelphia, through New Jersey to New York. The battle of Monmouth signalizes this retreat. The military services performed by the soldiers of New Jersey, and the sufferings of her people during the Revolutionary War, entitle her to the gratitude of her sister States. By her sacrifices of blood and treasure, in resisting oppression, she is entitled to stand in the foremost rank, among those who struggled for American freedom.

AN ACCOUNT

OF THE

INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND.

THE original inhabitants of New England, were savages. "These people" says Dr. Dwight, "were all of one nation; unless we are to except those in the eastern parts of the District of Maine, with those of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia ;" and were so considered by themselves. A single language was spoken by them all; distributed indeed into different dialects; not more different, however, from each other, than some of those, which are now spoken in England; particularly that of Yorkshire, and that which you call the West Country dialect. Accordingly, they appear to have conversed easily with each other, both on their public and private concerns. But they were only a small part of this nation. The same language was spoken by all the tribes between the Potomac and the St. Lawrence, the Mississippi and the ocean. I know of no exception, beside the Iroquois, or Six Nations; who were plainly a people entirely distinct from all the rest. The tribes, who inhabited this vast extent of territory, containing about six hundred thousand square miles,† seem never to have been called by any common name; as were their brethren

The Indians of Penobscot, as I have been since informed by the Hon. Timothy Edwards, were proved to be Mohekaneews, by the following incident: Several men of this tribe, during the Revolutionary War, came to Boston, to solicit of the govemment a stipend, which had been formerly granted to the tribe, by the legislature of Massachusetts Bay. The business was referred, by the Council of Safety, to Mr. Edwards, then a member of their body, as being versed in the affairs, and acquainted with the character of Indians. Mr. Edwards employed Hendrick Awpaumut, a Stockbridge Indian accidentally in Boston at that time, to confer with the petitioners, and learn the nature of their expectations. Hendrick found himself able to converse with them, so far as to understand their wishes satisfactorily; and observed to Mr. Edwards, that their language was radically Mohekaneew, and differed only as a dialect. This fact I had from Mr. Edwards. I have mentioned it here because the contrary opinion seems to have been universally adopted."-Dr. Dwight. + From a collation of facts, particularly the accounts given by Sir Alexander Mackensie, and others, it appears that the language of the Mohekaneews is extensively spoken by the Indians on the West of the Mississippi, as far, at least, as within four hundred miles of the Pacific ocean. This nation, therefore, has probably been extended over the greater part of North America.

the Tartars in the northern parts of Asia; but always to have been designated by appellations, derived apparently from incidental circumstances; particularly from the mountains, rivers, lakes, bays, and islands, on or near which they resided. The oldest tribe, according to their own account, and that which has been regularly allowed the pre-eminence in all their councils, lived in the county of Berkshire in Massachusetts, and in the neighboring regions of New York; and since my remembrance principally at Stockbridge. They are styled by the late Dr. Edwards, President of Union College at Schenectady in the State of New York, who spoke their language familiarly, Mohekaneews, and by a writer of their own, Muhheakunnuk.

The principal tribes, which were settled in New England, were the Pequods in Connecticut; Narragansetts in Rhode Island; the Wampanoags, Massachusetts, Nipnets or Nipmuks, Nashuas, and Stockbridge Indians in Massachusetts; the Pigwacket and Coos Indians in New Hampshire; and the Tarrateens, or Abenaquis, in the District of Maine."

În no part of New England were the Indians so numerous as in Connecticut. The great quantities of fish and fowl which the country and its waters afforded, were well adapted to their convenience and modes of living. Neither wars, nor diseases, had so depopulated this, as they had some other parts of New England. Dr. Trumbull says the Connecticut Indians cannot be estimated at less than twelve or sixteen thousand. It was supposed that the River Indians alone, in 1633, could bring three or four thousand warriors into the field. These were principally included within the ancient limits of Windsor, Hartford, Wethersfield and Middletown. Within the town of Windsor only, there were ten distinct tribes, or sovereignties. The Pequots were the most warlike tribe in New England. The tradition is, that they were originally an inland tribe; but by their prowess, came down and settled themselves along the sea-coast from Nehantic to Narragansett bay. When the English began their settlements in Connecticut, Sassacus had twenty-six sachems, or principal war captains under him. The chief seat of these Indians was near New London, Con. and it is supposed they could muster about a thousand warriors.

Gen. Gookin, in his "Historical Collections of the Indians" written in 1674, after giving an account of the Pequots, says:

"The Narragansitts were a great people heretofore; and the territory of these sachems extended about thirty or forty miles from Sekunk river and Narragansitt bay, including Rhode Island and othe islands in that bay, being their east and north bounds or border, and so running westerly and southerly unto a place called Wekapage, four or five miles to the eastward of Pawcutuk river, which was reckoned for their south and west border, and the eastermost limits of the Pe

quots. This sachem held dominion over divers petty governors; as part of Long Island, Black Island, Cawesitt, Niantick, and others; and had tribute from some of the Nipmuck Indians, that lived remote from the sea. The chief seat of this sachem was about Narragansitt bay by the Cannonicut island. The Narragansitts were reckoned, in former times, able to arm for war more than five thousand men as ancient Indians say. All do agree they were a great people, and oftentimes waged war with the Pawkunnawkutts and Massachusetts, as well as with the Pequots. The jurisdiction of Rhode Island and Providence plantations, and part of Connecticut people, possess their country. These Indians are now but few comparatively all that people cannot make above one thousand able men.

The Pawkunnawkutts were a great people heretofore. They lived to the east and northeast of the Narragansitts; and their chief sachem held dominion over divers other petty sagamores; as the sagamores upon the island of Nantuckett, and Nope, or Martha's Vineyard, of Nawsett, of Mannamoyk, of Sawkattukett, Nobsquasitt, Matakees, and several others, and some of the Nipmucks. Their country, for the most part, falls within the jurisdiction of New Plymouth colony. This people were a potent nation in former times; and could raise, as the most credible and ancient Indians affirm, about three thousand men. They held war with the Narragansitts; and often joined with the Massachusetts, as friends and confederates against the Narragansitts. This nation, a very great number of them, were swept away by an epidemical and unwonted sickness, Anno. 1612 and 1613, about seven or eight years before the English first arrived in those parts, to settle the colony of New Plymouth. Thereby Divine providence made way for the quiet and peaceable settlement of the English in those nations. What this disease was, that so generally and mortally swept away, not only these, but other Indians, their neighbors, I cannot well learn. Doubtless it was some pestilential disease. I have discoursed with some old Indians, that were then youths; who say, that the bodies all over were exceeding yellow, describing it by a yellow garment they showed me, both before they died and afterward.

The Massachusetts, being the next great people northward, inhabited principally about that place in Massachusetts bay, where the body of the English now dwell. These were a numerous and great people. Their chief sachem held dominion over many other petty governors; as those of Weechagaskas, Neponsitt, Punkapaog, Nonantam, Nashaway, some of the Nipmuck people, as far as Pokomtacuke, as the old men of Massachusetts affirmed. This people could, in former times, arm for war, about three thousand men, as the old Indians declare. They were in hostility very often with the Narragansitts; but held amity, for the most part, with the Pawkunnawkutts, who lived on the south border, and with the Pawtucketts, who inhabited on their north and northeast limits. In An. 1612 and 1613, these people were also sorely smitten by the hand of God with the same disease, before mentioned in the last paragraph; which des