in Boston, who held their lands in that quarter on the same footing as at Rumney Marsh or Mount Wollaston precincts, are the names of Bendall, Blackston, Colborn, Cotton, Dyneley, Eliot, Flint, Gillam, Hull, Hibbins, the Leveretts, Thomas and John, the Olivers, Thomas, Peter, and James, Savage, the Scottows, Thomas and Joshua, Sherman, Tyng, Underhill, and Wilson. Several of these were then officers in Boston, and always resided within the neck. Indeed on the same page of the records, where the above mentioned vote is found, are inserted in 1635 grants at Muddy River to Rev. John Cotton, William Colborn, Thomas Oliver, and Thomas Leverett, immediately subsequent to those of Governour Coddington and Edmund Quincy at Mount Wollaston,

After this slight correction, the notice, taken by the writer of the Sketch, of the emigration of so large a proportion of the settlers, as leaves a very few of the same name with them in Brookline, hardly needs to be explained. Very few of the grantees, whose names are found in the records, moved from the old town, and perhaps of the poor, who took up lots under the town's vote, many were not recorded in the town book. However, whether the latter supposition be correct or not, the present inhabitants of Brookline ought not to be expected to contain a large proportion of the names of the first grantees, because they were not settlers.

Σ.

NOTE ON JAMAICA. 1793. BY DR. HARRIS OF KINGSTON.

JAMAICA is a hundred and fifty miles in length, and fifty in breadth in the widest part. A ridge of mountains runs through the island; but it is mostly capable of cultivation. The Blue Mountain, an extensive mountain in the east part, is a mile in perpendicular height above the sea. The climate is healthful to the prudent and temperate; and many persons live to a great age. The sea breezes sometimes blow all night; and sometimes begin at seven or eight o'clock in the morning. Earthquakes

are not confined to any season of the year. Among its fruits is the manchineel, which, though poisonous, is delightful both to the smell and the eye. The soap tree, sapindus saponaria of Linnæus, affords an excellent rem edy for the rheumatism, a discovery which has lately been made. Excellent cattle are now fed on the guinea grass pens, and afford beef, which is fat and good; some oxen weigh above a thousand pounds. Horses, above fifteen hands high, are sometimes raised on these pens; and frequently sell for a hundred to two hundred pounds. Mutton and lamb, particularly salt pond mutton near Port Royal, are very fine. The fish of Jamaica are of a superiour quality. There are no adders on the island, but yellow and black snakes in plenty. The chiego is not so formidable an insect, as has been represented by several authors: it enters the skin only, and is easily extracted; but if it is neglected, it breeds sores, and sometimes; bring on the loss of the toes. The culture of coffee is rapidly improving.

LETTERS RESPECTING HUBBARD'S HISTORY.

Rev. Dr. Freeman,

DEAR SIR,

Harvard College, 14 Dec. 1814.

As our last volume contained a prospectus of Hubbard, the last paragraph of which gives an expectation that the deficiences of our copy might be supplied, &c. the following documents are submitted to the consideration of the present publishing committee, to be inserted, if they think proper, in the next volume.

Extracts from a letter, to the Recording a letter, to the Recording Secretary, from Mr. GEORGE ELIOT.

"Birmingham, 19 Sept. 1814." "I enclosed your letter, with the printed specimen of the work, to Dr. Oliver. Before I received an answer,

I was introduced to E. Hutchinson, esquire, son of the governour, and brother of the late Thomas H. esquire, who expressed himself ready to afford any assistance in his power. He said that all the family papers were in the possession of his nephew, T. Hutchinson, esquire, who resides in Devonshire, and to whom he would write on the subject. A few days since, he called, and read from the answer, which was very polite, as follows: "If "I had Hubbard's History they should be very welcome "to it; but I do not recollect having ever seen it. I "know of no papers which would be of value to the So"ciety; but if at any time any are found, they shall be 66 sent. There is an unpublished volume of Hutchinson's "History, but the family concluded it to be unfit for the press in England, and the same reason would prevent "their sending it to the United States."

Copy of the letters mentioned in the preceding Extract. Birmingham, Aug. 18, 1814.

Dr. Peter Oliver,

SIR,

I have the honour of enclosing a letter from the Reverend Joseph McKean, Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University, Cambridge, New England, directed to yourself or Thomas Hutchinson, esq.

The object of the Historical Society being to preserve and publish every thing relative to the History of America, and particularly of New England, I trust, if in your power, you will grant the request, and thus greatly assist their exertions, and confer a benefit on the literature of the United States. &c. &c. &c.

I am, Sir, with respect,

Your obedient servant,

(Signed,) GEORGE ELIOT.

Harvard College, (Cambridge, Mass.) 14 June, 1814.

Dr. Peter Oliver,

DEAR SIR,

The object of this address being of a publick nature, I offer no apology for venturing, although a stranger, to solicit your attention. By direction of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and with the patronage of the Legislature, the publication of "Hubbard's History of New England" is just commenced. The only copy, in our country, is somewhat mutilated at the beginning and the end. I send the first half sheet, to shew how much is wanting; and also to apprize you, what are the views of the publishers. You will see, in the Prefatory Notice, that we hope for aid from the family of the late Honourable Chief Justice OLIVER.

Would they who possess his historical treasures part with them to our institution? Would they give, or loan the Hubbard MS.? Would they permit a transcript of the pages deficient in our copy? We should be glad to send half a dozen copies of the printed work, as an expression of thanks, for so great a favour to our Society, our State, and our Country: one which will be acknowledged, with peculiar gratitude, by

George Eliot,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

(Signed,) JOSEPH MCKEAN.

Shrewsbury, Sept. 3, 1814.

I received yours of the 18th August last, and one from a Mr. McKeane inclosed in it. As to lending my manuscript or giving any part of it, I must beg to be excused-for I do not know whether it wont be printed in this Country. As Mr. McKeanes letter came under cover to you, you can inform him of my determination; hence it will be useless to write me upon it any more.

If I am not very much mistaken, what they have was the one that was stolen by the mob when they gutted Governour Hutchinson's House, I think in 1765, and it was then said that our Manuscript was the only one existing so that what they have mutilated, belongs to Mr. Hutchinson's remaining family, and ought in honor to be sent to them.

I am, Sir, Yr. hbl. Servant,

(Signed,) PETER OLIVER.

Boston, December, 1814.

Rev. Dr. Freeman,

DEAR SIR,

Doct. Oliver's letter to my nephew, Mr. George Eliot, seems to have been indited while in a passion his charge of robbery in regard to Hubbard's MS. history is erroneous. When Gov. Hutchinson's house was ransacked by a mob, in 1765, his books and papers were thrown out of the windows, trampled under foot, and exposed to violent rains. If the manuscript was then in the governour's possession, it is probable that it did not escape; and that the mutilation took place at that time. In the preface to the second volume of his history, a handsome acknowledgment is made to my father for his exertions in collecting and preserving the property, and particularly for receiving all the books and papers into his house. I well remember, that the governour spent a great deal of time afterwards in assorting them; and that all which he considered of value were returned to his house. Gov. Hutchinson made use of this manuscript in compiling his history, and perhaps thought that he had as good a right to keep it as any one; but that it was ever his property may be doubted. The manuscript in the possession of the Historical Society is, undoubtedly,