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the Province of Main and Nova-Scotia, and all the country between the Province of Main and Nova-Scotia, as far northward as the River St. Lawrence; alfo Elizabeth Hands, and the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.

By the new charter, the appointment of the governor was in the crown, and every freeholder of forty fhillings fterling a year, and every inhabitant of forty pounds fterling perfonal eftate, was a voter for reprefen

tatives.

The French of Quebec inftigating the Indians, and joining with them to plunder and kill the English, and the French of Acadie infetting the coafts, and taking many veffels, the general court in the winter of 1689 meditated an attack upon Port-Royal, now called Annapolis-Royal, and upon Quebec. Forces were fent out and took Port-Royal, and the whole fea-coaft from that to Penobscot, and the New-England fettlements.

The fuccefs of this expedition, and the ravage of the French and Indians at the opening of the fpring, determined the general court to profecute their defign upon Quebec. But the feafon was fo far advanced when the troops arrived at Canada-the French fo fuperior in number-the weather fo tempeftuous, and the sickness fo great ainong the foldiers, that this expedition was attended with great lofs.

A truce was concluded with the neighbouring Indians, while the troops were gone out of the colony, but hoftilities were foon renewed.

The French and Indians molested the inhabitants of the frontiers daily. Acadie fell again into the hands of the French, and was afterwards retaken by the English. The inhabitants of this territory experienced the greatest fufferings at every change of their master.

A new expedition was planned against Canada, and affiftance from England folicited year after year for the reduction of the French, who were endeavouring by the aid of the favages to ruin entirely the Britifl fettlements.

In 1692, the fpirit of infatuation refpecting witchcraft was again revived in New-England, and raged again with uncommon violence. Several hundreds were accufed, many were condemned, and fome executed. Vafious have been the opinions refpecting the delufion which occafioned this tragedy. Some pious people have believed there was fomething fu pernatural in it, and that it was not all the effect of fraud and impofturs. Many are willing to fuppofe the accufers to have been under bodily dif orders which affected their imaginations. This is kind and charitable, but fcarcely probable. It is very poffible that the whole was a scene of fraud and in pofture, began by young girls, who at firft perhaps thought of nothing more than exciting pity and indulgence, and continued by adult perfons, who were afraid of being accufed themselves. The one and the other, rather than confefs their fraud, fuffered the lives of fo

many

Since the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, Nova-Scotia was arbitrarily takén from Maffachusetts, and erected into a feparate government. And by the treaty of 1983, the territory between the Highlands, which form a part of the northern boundary of the United States, and the River St. Lawrence, was ceded to Great-Britain.

many innocents to be taken away through the credulity of judges and juries.

That the odium of this tragic conduct might not reft upon the New Englanders alone, it ought here to be obferved, that the fame infatuation was at this time current in England. The law by which witches were condemned, was a copy of the statute in England; and the practice of the courts was regulated by precedents there afforded. Some late instances prove that England is not entirely cured of that delufion.

In 1711, fome fhips and troops being fent over, the colony troops joined them, and an attempt was made upon Canada, in which the greater part of them perifhed. This difafter was very grievous to the people of New-England, and many perfons, in confequence of it, abandoned every expectation of conquering Canada.

Frequent excurfions on the frontiers immediately followed; but as foon as the peace of Utrecht was known, the Indians of the various tribes requefted to be at peace with the English-afked pardon for their violation of former treaties, and engaged for the future to demean themselves as good fubjects of the crown of Great-Britain. Articles of a general treaty were drawn up and figned by both parties.

From 1675, when Philip's war began, to the prefent time, 1713, five or fix thousand of the youth of the country had perifhed by the enemy, or by diftempers contracted in the fervice of their country. The colonies, which ufually doubled their inhabitants in five and twenty years, had not at this time double the number which they had five years before. The profpect of a long peace, which the general treaty afforded, was interrupted by the machinations of one Ralle, a French Jefuit, who inftigated the Indians to make fresh incurfions on the borders of the colony in 1717. After feveral ineffectual attempts to perfuade the Indians to defit from their operations, forces were fent out by government from time to time, who detroyed feveral parties of the Indians, but there was no ceffation of hostiFities until the death of Ralle in 1724.

In 1725, a treaty was made with the Indians, and a long peace fucceeded it. The length of the peace is in a great measure to be attributed to the favourable acts of government, made foon after its commencement, refpecting the Indian trade.

In 1721, the finall-pox made great havock in Boston and the adjacent towns. Of 5889, who took it in Bofton, 844 died. Inoculation was introduced on this occafion, contrary however to the minds of the inhabifants in general. Dr. C. Mather, one of the principal minifters of Boston, had obferved, in the Philofophical Tranfactions, a letter from Timonius from Conftantinople, giving a favourable account of the operation. He recommended it to the phyficians of Bofton to make the experiment, but all declined except Dr. Boylston. To fhew his confidence of fuccefs, he began with his own children and fervants. Many pious people were ftruch with horror at the idea, and were of opinion that if any of his patients should die, he ought to be treated as a murderer

All orders of men, in a greater or lefs degree, condemned a practice which is now univerfally approved, and to which thousands owe the prefervation of their lives.

In 1745, according to a propofal and plan of the governor of this colony, Louifburg was befieged and taken. The poffeffion of this place appeared neceffary for the fecurity of the English fishery, and prevented an attack upon Nova-Scotia, which the French had meditated and threatened.

The reduction of Louifburg by a British colony, furprized Great-Britain and France, and occafioned both powers to form important plans for the next year. Great-Britain had in view the reduction of Canada, and the extirpation of the French from the northern continent. France, the recovery of Louifburg, the conqueft of Nova-Scotia, and the deftruction of the English fea-coaft from Nova-Scotia to Georgia. Great preparations were accordingly made by both ionarchs. A very formidable French fleet failed for the American coaft; a British fquadron was long expected to oppofe them, and to protect the colonies; but expected in vain. The colonies were in immediate and imminent danger. Fortunately for them, the French fleet was rendered unfit to accomplish their defign, by a violent ftorm, which damaged most of the fhips fo much, that they were obliged to return to France, or retire to the Weft-Indies to refit.

Pious men faw the immediate hand of divine providence in the protection, or rather refcue of the British colonies this year, as they had done in the almost miraculous fuccefs of the Cape Breton expedition, the year before.

By the time the fears of the colonies, which had been excited by thẹ French fleet, were removed, the feafon was too far advanced to profecute the Canada expedition. The inactive profecution of the war in Europe on both fides, indicated peace to be near, which the next year was affected.

Here Governor Hutchinfon ends his hiftory of Maffachusetts. It belongs to the profeffed hiftorian to relate the important events which have happened fince. Several of them, however, may be found in the foregoing hiftory of the United States. It ought in justice here to be obferved, that in point of military, political, and literary importance, Maffachufetts is inferior to none, and fuperior, to moft, of the states in the union.

PROVINC

O F MAIN.

Including the lands which lie eaft, as far as Nova-Scotia,
(Belonging to Maffachusetts.)

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Boundaries feparate the rivers which fall into the St. Lawrence,

OUNDED north-weftwardly by the high lands, which

from thofe which fall into the Atlantic ocean; eastwardly by the river St.

Croix, and a line drawn due north from its fource to the faid high lands, which divides this territory from Nova-Scotia; fouth eastwardly by the Atlantic ocean; and weftwardly by New-Hampshire.

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The Old Province of Main (included in the limits prescribed above) is bounded on the fouth weit and weft by New-Hampshire; fouth-east by the Atlantic ocean, and north and north-east by the land, called in fome inaps Saghadahok It was fuppofed, at the time of its being made a province, to have been 120 miles fquare; but by a fettlement of the line in 1737, on the part or fide adjoining New-Hampshire, the form of the land was reduced from a fquare to that of a diamond. The Province of Main contains, according to Douglass, about 9,600 square miles.

Civil divifion.] The whole Province of Main, and the territory to the eaft of it as far as the western boundary of Nova-Scotia, were formerly in one county, by the name of Yorkshire. In 1761, this extenfive county , was divided into three counties. The eafternmott, called LINCOLN, Contains all lands eaft of Sagadahok, and fome part of Main, viz. Georgetown, on the fea-coaft, and all the lands between the rivers Kennebek and Amerafcoggin.

This county is faid to be 150 miles fquare. It has been in agitation for feveral years to divide it into three, but for various reafons the divifion has hitherto been delayed. For the accommodation of the inhabitants, it is at prefent divided into three diftricts, in each of which is a judge, a regifter of probates, and a register of deeds. A great part of this County is yet in a ftate of nature; it is, however, rapidly fettling. The frontier inhabitants on each fide of the Canada line, are but a few miles apart.

Next to Lincoln is CUMBERLAND county, of which Portland is the county town, and capital of the whole territory. This county contains -nearly half the Old Province of Main. The rest of the Province of Main is included in YORK County. Thefe three counties are fubdivided into -ninety-four townships, of which Lincoln contains fifty-three, Cumberland twenty, and York twenty-one. Thefe counties, in 1778, had fix regiments of militia.

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In 1778, a ftate tax of £254, 718 16 11, was affeffed on the polls and eftates, within the Connnonwealth of Maffachusetts, by their general court. The following apportionment of that tax to the three counties abovementioned, will ferve to fhew the proportion which they bear to the whole ftate.

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Rivers.] St. Croix is a fhort and inconfiderable river, forming the eaftern boundary of the United States *. It falls into Paffamaquoday bay, Penobscot

* Governor Pownal fuppofes that Paffamaquody river, which is fifteen or twenty miles east of St. Croix, is the real eaftern boundary of New England.

For

Penobscot river rifes in fome ponds in the heart of the country, and paffing through feveral finall lakes, it tumbles for near two miles over falls, which effectually prevent any further marine navigation. To thefe falls, which are about fifty miles from the fea, this river is navigable for vesfels of an hundred tons. It empties into Penobscot bay.

*

Kennebek river rifes from a little pond in the height of land, in north latitude 45° 20 and about 5° 10' eaft longitude. Its general courfe is from north to fouth. It is navigable for veffels of an hundred tons, to Hallowell, fifty miles from Small-point, at the mouth of the river.

Sagadahok or Amerafcoggin river, which, properly fpeaking, is but the main western branch of the Kennebek, rifes in latitude 44° 50' north-eastward of the White Hills, in lake Umbagoog. Peabody river, and another branch, fall into this main ftream, from the eaft fide of the White Hills. Its courfe is fouth about twenty-fix miles, then east northeast fixty, when it meets a fecond main ftream froni the north-east, thirtyfour miles from its fource. Hence the river runs fouth forty miles. In this course it paffes within two miles of the fea-coaft, then turns north, and running över Pejepfkaeg falls into Merry Meeting bay from thence, with the waters of Kenebek, which likewife fall into this bay, with feveral other small streams, it paffes off to the fea, fixteen miles, by the name of Kennebek, or Sagadahok river.

The Dutch formerly had a fettlement at the place that is now called Newcastle, which was under the jurifdiction of the then governor of New-York, then called Manhadoes. The town was built on a beautiful neck of land, where rows of old cellars, near each other, are now to be seen.

Saco river has two fources, one in Offipee pond, near Offipee mountain g the other, which is its principal branch, falls from the fouth fide of the White Hills. The former is called Offipee, and the latter Pigwaket river. (Offipee pond and Offipee mountain are in New-Hampshire, as are the White Hills.) Thefe foon unite, and the river, keeping in a general fouth-eaftern courfe for fixty or feventy miles, paffes between Pepperillborough and Biddeford townships, into Saco bay, near Winter Harbour. Marine navigation is stopped by Saco falls, feven or eight miles from the fea. At these falls, which are about twenty feet in height, are the greateft board-works in this part of the country. The river here is broken by fall islands in fuch a manner as to afford a number of fine faw-mill feats. Before the war, 4,000,000 feet of pine-boards were annually fawed by the mills at this place. Logs are floated down the river from fixty or feventy miles above the mills; and veffels can come up quite to the mills to take in their lading.

· Besides these are a number of fmaller rivers. Stevens's, a falt water river; Prefumfcut and Royal rivers run into Cafco Bay. Kennebunk

For, faid be, The French, according to their mode of taking poffeffion, always fixed a crofs in every river they came to. Almost every river on the coaft of Sagadabok bas, in its turn, been deemed by them La Riviere de St. Croix. Under equivocation of this general appellative, they have amused our negotia ators on every occafion.

* Governor Pownal says, thirty-five.

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