dium in this line. Ofwego fort and trading place with many nations of Indians upon the lake Ontario, Cataraqui or Ofwego in lat. 43 d. 33 m. lies weft northerly from Albany about 200 miles, and 20 miles from Albany to the west line of the province of Massachusetts-Bay, in in all about 220 miles. Montreal lies N. by E. of Albany above 200 miles. Besides, the main land country of New-York, there are fome islands belonging to it. 1. Long-Ifland, called by the Indians Matowacks, and by the Dutch, Naffau, it lies in length from E. to W. about 120 miles, and at a me place upon lake Ontario, there is a fhort fall in Onondagues river. Almoft the whole of the eaft fide of the Ontario lake lies in the Onondagues country. From Ofwego fort to Niagara falls or French fort Dononville are about 160 miles, and from Öfwego fort 60 miles to fort Frontanac, alfo called Cataraqui fort, where the lake vents by Cataraqui river, which with the Outawae river makes St. Laurence river called the great river of Canada; this fort Frontanac is about zoo miles down that rocky river to Montreal. By conjecture of the French Coureurs des bois in round numbers, the circumferences of the five great lakes or inland feas of NorthAmerica, are, Ontario 200 leagues, Erie, 200 leagues, Hurons 300 leagues, Mihagan 300 leagues, and the upper lake 500 leagues. As I do not write this, as a rigidly connected piece, I mention feveral things as they occur, but without any confiderable deviation. 1. The Mohawk nation of our allied New-York Indians live on the fouth fide of a branch of Hudfon's river called Mohawks river, but not on the north fide thereof, as is reprefented in the French maps. 2. The Oneides nation lie about, 100 miles W. from Albany, near the head of the Mohawks river. 3. The Onondagues lie about 130 miles weft from Albany. 4. The Tufcaroras, an adventitious or fixth nation (in former times they were called the Five nations) live partly with the Oneides, and partly with the Onondagues. 5. The Cayugas about 160 miles weft from Albany. 6. The Senecas who live upon the frontiers of Peniylvania are about 140 miles weft from Albany. A Frence noted writer M. de Lifle calls thefe Five nations by the name of Iroquois. Formerly the French had popish miffionaries with the Oneides, Onondagues, and Cayugas, and endeavoured to keep them in their intereft. There is fcarce any beaver in the country of the Five nations; therefore their hunting at a great distance from home, occafions frequent jarrings with other Indian nations; this trains them up by practice, to be better warriors than the other Indian nations. dium is about 10 miles broad; its eaft fhore is a fandy flat, as is all the E. fhore of North-America from CapeCod of New-England in N. lat. 42 d. 10 m. to Cape-Florida in about 25 d. N. lat. Upon this fhore of Long-Inland are very few inlets, and these very fhallow: its north fide is good water, being a found between it and the main land of Connecticut; the widest part of this near New-Haven of Connecticut does not exceed 8 leagues. Two thirds of this ifland is a barren fandy foil. The eaftern parts were fettled from New-England, and retain their customs; the western parts were fettled by the Dutch, where many families to this day understand no other language but the Dutch. It is divided into 3 counties, Queen's county, King's county, and Suffolk county, and pays confiderably above one fourth of the taxes or charges of the government of the province. Hell-Gate, where is the confluence or meeting of the E. and W. tide in Long-Island found, is about 12 miles from the city of New-York. 2. Staten-Inland at its E. end, has a ferry of three miles to the W. end of LongIsland; at its W. end is a ferry of one mile to Perth-Amboy of Eaft-Jerfies, it is divided from East-Jerfies by a creek; is in length about 12 miles, and about fix miles broad, makes one county, called Richmond, which pays fcarce one in one and twenty of the provincial tax; it is all in one parifh, but feveral congregations, viz. an English, Dutch, and French congregation; the inhabitants are mostly English; only one confiderable village, called Cuckold's-town. 3. Nantucket, Martha's vineyard and Elizabeth islands were formerly under the jurifdiction of New-York, ; but upon the revolution they were annexed by the new charter of Maffachusetts-Bay, to the jurifdiction of Maffachuletts-Bay; not many years fince, fome of the freeholders of these islands when occafionally in NewYork, were arrested for the arrears of the general quitrents of these islands. 4. Manhatans, the Indian name, New-Amfterdam the Dutch name, or New-York the Englifh name, may be called an ifland, though it has a com, munication munication with the main land, by King's bridge, the whole island being about fourteen miles long, but very narrow, is all in the jurifdiction of the city of New-York; it lies on the mouth of Hudfon's river. In the province of New-York are four incorporated towns, who hold courts within themselves, fend representatives to the general affembly or legislature, with fundry exclufive privileges. 1. The city of New-York and its territory, formerly established by col. Dongan, fends four representatives. 2. The city of Albany probably had their charter alfo from col. Dongan, and is nearly the fame with that of New-York, fends two reprefentatives. 3. The borough of Weft-Chefter; and 4. The township of Schenectady; it seems these two corporations had their charters before the revolution, and each of them fend one representative to the general assembly. As a fpecimen of town corporation charters, in the plantations, I thall infert an extract of the charter of the city of New-York; it is the fulleft and the most exclu five of any of them. It begins by mentioning or reciting feveral grants of privileges which they have enjoyed by patents and charters. "Whereas the city of New"York is an ancient city, and the citizens anciently a body politick with fundry rights, privileges, &c. as well by prescription as by charters, letters patent, grants and "confirmations, not only of divers governors and com"manders in chief in the said province, but also of seve"ral governors, directors, generals, and commanders in "chief of the Nether Dutch nation, whilst the fame was "or has been under their power and subjection. That Tho"mas Dongan, Efq; lieutenant governor of New-York, "under king James II. Auguft 27, 1686, by a charter "confirmed all their former grants not repugnant to the "laws of England and province of New-York, with fome " additions, granting to them all the unappropriated lands to "low-water mark in Manhatan's ifland, under the yearly quit-rent of one beaver fkin, or the value thereof; their "jurifdiction to extend all over the ifland, &c." That this charter was confirmed by a fubfequent charter from lord lord Cornbury governor, April 19, 1708, with fome additions granting to them the ferries, &c. That as fome questioned the validity of their former charters, because they were in the governor's name only, and not in the name of their kings and queens, they petition governor Montgomery for a new charter, confirming all their former privileges, with fome additions; granting to them four hundred feet below low-water mark in Hudfon's river, &c. Governor Montgomery's charter by which they now hold, is dated January 15, 1730, and afterwards confirmed or corroborated by an act of the provincial affembly or legiflature of New-York, and declared to be a publick act, relating to the whole colony. The fubftance of this charter is as follows. "They are incorporated by the name of the mayor, al"dermen and commonality of the city of New-York."The city to be divided into seven wards, viz. west-ward, "fouth-ward, duck-ward, east-ward, north-ward, Mont gomery-ward, and the out-ward divided into the Bowry "divifion and Harlem divifion.-The corporation to con"fift of one mayor, one recorder, and feven aldermen, "feven affiftants, one fheriff, one coroner, one com"mon clerk, one chamberlain or treafurer, one high con"ftable, fixteen affeffors, seven collectors, fixteen con"ftables, and one marfhal. The mayor with confent of "the governor, may appoint one of the aldermen his de .. puty. The governor yearly to appoint the mayor, fhe"riff, and coroner, and the freeholders and freemen in "their refpective wards to chufe the other officers, ex"cepting the chamberlain, who is to be appointed in coun"cil by the mayor, four or more aldermen, and four or "more affiftants. The mayor to appoint the high con"ftable; all officers to take the proper oaths, and to con"tinue in office till others have been chofen in their "rooms; when any officer dies, the ward is to chufe an"other; upon refufal to ferve in office, the common "council may impofe a fine not exceeding 15 1. for the "ufe of the corporation. The mayor or recorder, and "four 239 "four or more aldermen, with four or more affiftants, to "be a common council to make by-laws, to regulate the “freemen, to lease lands and tenements, &c. but to do "nothing inconfiftent with the laws of Great-Britain or "of this province; fuch laws and orders not to continue " in force exceeding 12 months, unless confirmed by the governor and council. May punish by disfranchifing, or "fines for the use of the corporation. The common coun"cil fhall decide in all controverted elections of officers. "The common council may be called by the mayor, or "in his abfence by the recorder; fine of a member for "nonattendance not exceeding 20 s. for the ufe of the "corporation. The corporation may establish as many "ferries as they may fee fit, and let the fame. To hold a "market at five or more different places every day of the "week, excepting Sunday; to fix the affize of bread, "wine, &c. The mayor with four or more aldermen may make freemen, fees not to exceed 51.; none bur "freemen fhall retail goods or exercise any trade, penalty "51.; no aliens to be made free. To commit common "vagabonds, erect work-houses, goals, and alms-houfes. "The mayor to appoint the clerk of the market, and "water bailiff; to licence carmen, porters, cryers, fca"vengers and the like; to give licence to taverns and "retailers of strong drink for one year, not exceeding "30 s. per licence; felling without licence 51. current "money toties quoties. The mayor, deputy mayor, re"corder, and aldermen for the time being, to be juftices "of the peace. The mayor, deputy mayor, and re"corder, or any one of them, with three or more of the " aldermen, fhall hold quarter feffions, not to fit exceed"ing four days. Mayor, recorder, and aldermen, to be "named in all commiffions of oyer and terminer, and goal delivery. The mayor, deputy mayor, recorder, 66 or any one of them, with three or more of the aldermen, "fhall and may hold every Tuesday a court of record, to "try all civil caufes real, perfonal, or mixt, within the city and county. May adjourn the mayor's court to any "time not exceeding 28 days. The corporation to have a |