Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-04-13

I0< tdbOWlDR 10 CDuLtuuepA " oSAsSS
number OF the Chicago Ttnses::
n iu this Centennial year, every scrap
OF information relating to the sayings,
doipes and surroundings Of our forefaih-
ers OF 100 years ago is sought Tor by their
descendants with avidity, then why not
those Of 200 years agos / have in my
library a quaint specimen OF book max
ing on America, illustrated with maps,
:" Published by Richard Blome, London
printed by T.. Milbourn, and sold by j.
Williams, Jr., In Cross Keys, in Little Brit
ain: 1872" and dedicated TO His Dread
Sovereign and Sacred Majesty, Charles
H.. King OF England, Scotland, France,
and Ireland" etc. The author, in his
preface explains his reason for continuing
the contents Of 16mo. volume. Of 2OO
pages, printed in plea, AS = nn to trouble
the reader with large and unnecessary
niscourscs, no ways proper for the design
In hand; for by that means i might, ny
the help Of large print (which some pub
fishers Of books cali 0rnameital) have
nat them to an unnecessary charge in
buying and as great a trouble in read
ing:n sly hint that will suit the fashion
Of today as well as that Of 200 years ago.
OF the New York city Of two centuries
AFRO our author says " Here Is one very
considerable town, first built by the
Ouch. 1t Is well seated, both for trade,
security and pleasure, In q small isle
called Manhattan, regarding the sea,
nlade 80 by Hadson's River, which sew
ereth il from Long Island, which said
river Is very commodious for shipping,
and IL about two leagues broad. The
town il large, containing about 800 we'll
built houses, and for civil government il
hath Mayor, Alderman, Sheriff and
Justices ot the Peace for their magistrates
For the further security oil this town, here
ia raised fort called james Font, which
ID very strong and well defended and
naintained with men and ammunition.
The town il inhabited by the English and
Dutch, and hath u considerable trade with
the Indians for the skins Of elks, deer,
bears, etc, also for those Of beaver, otter
end Other furs, and doth likewise enjoy a
good trade ,itn the English"
or Boston, the /" Metropolis Of New En-
gland, - our author says: " Commodious.
Iy seated for trafiique on the sea shore, IL
is at present very large and spacious
town, or rather CITY, composed OF several
well-ordercd streets and graced With fair
and beautiful houses, which are well IN
babited by merchants and traders; men
who drive considerable trade for sucn
commodities as the country aitordeth 10
Barbadoes and the other Car1bbee isles, as
also 10 England and Ireland, taking IN
exchange such commodities as each
place aifordcth or are found useful to
them. II IL II place Of good strength,
having two or three hills adjoining on
which arc raised Notifications with great
pieces mounted thereon which arc well
guarded"
The part these hills played in the great
struggle tor liberty century alter we
are all familiar with. Other prctentiona
New England settlements are described
as follows: "Chares. Town, seated on and
between the rivers Charles and Mistick il
is beautitied with large and well.built
church, and near the riverside is the mar
.keL. place, from which runncth two Streets
In which are divers good houses Dor.
chester, situate near the sea, where there
ialIeth in two rvuiets an indifferent
town. Cambridge, formerly New-Town,
situated on the river Mcrrimeek. This
town consistent OF several streets, and is
bcautified with two colleges and divers
fair and wcll,built houses. Reading,
commodiously seated about q great pond,
and well watcrcd and inhabited. In this
town are two mills, one for corn and the
other Tor TIMBER E a aG q
find no reference in the book, or on
the rude maps accompanying IL, to the
place of our approaching Centennial fes.
.siyal, fair Philadelphia, no the honor OF
founding ii D.ust continue 10 rest with
Penn, at "a date ten years after the printing
of this little voluIae.
OF Maryland, our author remarks
"The inhabitants (being In number at
present about 10000 have begun the
building OF several towns which In a few
years IL IL hoped may come TO some per.
lection, ~ Calyerton, Harrington and
Harvy-Town. NIL commodiously seated
for the benefit of trade and convenicncy
of shipping, but the principal town IL st.
Marcy's, seated ON NJ. Mareys River, be
ing beautiticd with divers woll-built
houses" Virginia which Is mentioned
as having for It's western boundary that
vast tract of land which runnetn iuto the
South Sea-" and whose population IL
placed at 1900 or 10000, had for its
principal towns James City, beautifed
with many fair and well built BRICK housca,
Elizabeth, Dalesgifl, Wrisesmoco and
Bermuda.
We are informed that (" The country Of
late, since the Telling OF the woods, and
the peoples accust0miag themselves 10
English diet, Is very healihfu and agree.
able 10 the constitution OF the English,
few now dying al their first coming OF the
sconntry's disease or stas0Hing. And as
10 the temperature OF the air, The heats In
summer receive such reasonable allayes
from gentle brcezes and fresh showers of
rain, and the cold In winter is Of 80 little
durancc that the inhabitants cannot be
said 10 suffer by either."
Some annoyance and alarm seem TO
have existed among the inhabitants from
thc presence Of rattiesnakes and "severa!
sorts of sting!ng hyes which are found
very Troublesome TO the inhabitants . and
we find mentioned among the wild
beasts" that abounded in the country,
:" lyons, bears, leopards, tigers, wolves,
and dogs like wolves but barke not,
.buileloes, elks, whose flesh is rs good rs
beef" etc. OF tish aud game great varle-
ties are mentioned, including "wild
turkey, which usually weigh six stone"
,tsir poundsD and sheepsaead fish, which
.nakes breath like that OF mutton.' Fruit
in great abundance are mentioned, and
we are told bv our author that these Sly
old co,onisls converted their apples into
"syder," their pears into perry" and
their grapes into wine