The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-07-28
PENNSYLVANIA IN 1858.
From an Unpublished Letter From VIII
liam Penn to Duke Ormonde.


I thank god I am safely arrived
in the province that the providence
Of god and Bounty Of the King hath
made myne, and which the credit,
prudence and industry of the people
concerned with me must render
Considerable / was received by the
ancient hahitants with much kind
ness and respect and the rest
brought it with them; there may be
about four e. 215b) thousand sorIes
in all, / speak, think within CON-
pass; we expect an increase from
France, Holland and Germany, as
we'll as our Native Country
The land is Generally good, we'll
water'd and not so thick of wood as
imagin'd; there are also many open
places that have been old Indian
fields, the trees that grow here are
the Mulberry, white and red, wal
nut, black, gray and Hickory, Pop
lar, Cedar, Cyprus, chestnut, Ash,
Sarsafrax, Gum, pine, Spruce, oake,
black, white. red Spanish chestnut
and Swamp which has leafu like a
willow, and is most lasting. The
food the woods yield is your Elks,
Deer, Racoons, Beaver, Rabbits,
Turkeys, Phesants, heath birds, Pid-
geons and Patredges, innumerably !;
we need no setting dogs to ketch,
they run by droves into the house in
cold weather. Our Rivers have also
plenty of excellent fish and water
foul, as Sturgeon, rock, shad, her
ring. oadfish, Or fattheads, Sleeps
heads, roach and perch, and trout
in inland Streames; of foule, the
Swan, white, gray, and black
goose, and brands, #. 216) the best
duck and tel I ever cate, and the
Snipe and the Curlue with the Snow
bird are also excellent.
The Aire is sweet and cleare
which makes a screen and steady
sky, as in the more southern parts
of France. Our Summers and Win
ters are commonly once in three
years in extreames; but the Winters
Seldom last above ten weeks and
rarely begin till the latter end of
December; the days are above two
hours longer, and the Sun much
hotter here then with you, which
makes some recompense for the
sharpe nights of the Winter season,
rs we'll as the woods that make
cheap and great fires. We have of
graine, wheat, maize, rye, barly,
oates, several excellent sorts of
beans and peas, pumpkins, water
and mus MELONS, all englesh roots
and Garden stuff, good fruit and ex-
cellent Slider, the Peach we have in
divers kinds, and very good, and in
great abundance. The Vine (of sew.
erall sorts and the signe with US of
rich land) is very fruitful, and tho
not so sweet as some have eaten in
Europe, yet it makes a good wine,
and the worst, good vinegar. e..
216b.) I have observed three sorts,
the Great grape that has green, red,
and black, all ripe on the Same tree,
the muskedell and black little grape,
which is the best, and may be i'm
prov'd to an excellent wine. Thes
are spontaneous. Of Cattle, we
have the horse, not very handsome,
but good. Cow Cattle and hogs in
much plenty, and sheep enorease
apace.
Our town of Philadelphia is scat
ed between two navigable rivers.
haveing from 4 to 10 fathom wa
ter, about $50 houses up in one
yeare, and 400 country settlements,
thus do we labour to render our
selves an INDUSTRIOUS Colony, to the
honour and benefit of the Crown,
as well as our own comfort and adj
vantage, and lett there not be sep
Grated, say Notes and Queries.