they were and from whence they came and to bring the master to mee, who soone after came together with his marchant in their owne boate. When they were come aboard of me, I sent for them into my cabbin asked them what they made heere. They answered mee they came to trade as formerly they had done. I asked him if they had any comission from his Matle to trade in the River or no, They answered they had none from the King of England but from the Governor of New Netherlands they had. To which I replied that I knew no such governor nor no such place as New Netherlands. I told them this country did belong to the crowne of England, as well by ancient discovery, as likewise by possession lawfully taken, and that his Matie was now pleased to make more ample discovery of this river, and of other places also, where he would erect collonies and that I was therefore sent hither with a Royall commission under the great Seale to take possession hereof I perceaved by their countenance that this newes strooke them could at heart and after a little pause, they answered mee, that they had traded in this River heretofore. I then replyed that therein they had done his Matie and his subjects the greater injurie, for supposing, as some of the Dutch pretended, that they had by his Maties leave traded and planted in Hudsons River, yet ought they not to usurpe upon other trades and countreys of his Maties without his leave, and since that he is now pleased to make use of this River either for himself or his subjects it would be good manners in them to desist. Then they desired to see my commission which I showed them and after they had read it & considered well thereof, apprehending the power I had, if they should trade without licence, to make them prize, they desired mee to give them a Copie thereof. I answered them that it was not the custome of England for his Maties ministers to give copies of their Commissions; they then desired to know how I would proceed with them which they hoped

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would be the better in regard they knew not of my commission. I told them I would let them know that hereafter when my leiuetenant was returned which perhaps would be the next morning.

The next day my leiuetennant being returned I sent for the Hollanders to dine with me and this I spent in making them wellcome, and after dinner one of them dranke to me saying Heere Governor of the South River (for soe they call this) I drinke to you and indeed confesse your commission is much better than ours. How say you Copeman (who is the head marchant) said he is it not? To whom the copeman answered yes indeede I have not seen a larger Commission. The next day about 8 of the clocke I sent for them to give them an answerre which was this. That in regard they were subjects to so antient allies of my country and that they were neighbours heere, and since they had carried themselves civilly, I had used with all curtesy that I might lawfully use; that since I had also shewed them my commission I made no question but that they knew sufficiently well what they had to do. Neverthelesse, I was willing they might stay at anchor two dayes longer to provide themselves of whatsoever they should need and that I would not suffer any thing to be taken from them during their stay. They then asked me, if I would command them to be gone. I answered, I command you not to be gone but you may looke into my Commission and there you may see whether it be lawfull for you to vizitt or trade into any places I shall possesse; where upon they read over the second time that part of my commission and then they answered they would be gone but they desired a note my hand for their discharge unto their Governor to shew the cause why they returned without trading. I answered it was not the custome of England and they had no need of any such note, since they had seene the Commission under the Great Seale, and that I could not beleeve but that their Governer would both creditt and be satisfied

with their Relation, Soe they parted civilly though very sadly from mee. Before the time of two dayes was expired, they weighed anchor & went downe the River I sent my leiuetennant in my pinnace to see them clear of the River and to watch them lest they should doe mee ill offices with the Indians in their way homewards. In their going downe, they sometimes went aboard of one another after the manner of the Sea; and the Merchant of the Ship upon some discourse said that if they [had] bene in possession at my arrivall they would not have removed for all my commission and nor long after he said I would wee were in possession of it agayne, yet if the West India Company had been ruled by me they had planted this River, rather than Hudson's River and whilest my Lieuetennant commended Hudson's River for a good place, he replyed yea, so it is but this is better; and further said were I sure we should loose this River I would tell you something that would please you. I gave my lieuetennant order that after he had watched these Hollanders out of the Bay he should goe and discover all along the coast as farre as Hudson's River and so on towards Cape Cod, to see if there were any probability of a passage through. Hee accordingly discovered along the coast as farre as Hudson's River, where he was overtaken with foule weather and contrary windes, where he endured the stormes till he was forced by the incommodiousnesse of his vessell and want of victualls to returne, In this voyage he lost two men who were killed by the Indians but found nothing worthy of particular Relation.

As soone as he was returned I sent him presently up once more to the falls to trie whether he could passe those rockes at a spring tide which before he could not doe at a neap tide, but it was then also impassable with any great boate wherefore he returned backe to mee agayne. When he saw he could not passe over the rockes he went up the River side some five miles above the rockes, to see whether

the river were passable or no, who informeth me, is deepe and likely to runne very farre up into the Countrey. Here also is the brother of the king of Mohigon who is the uppermost king that wee have mett with who relateth that he hath bene in a canoa 20 days journey up the River above the rockes which he describeth to runne northwest and west-northwest; that he was sent thither by his brother to a king of his alliance and that there he heard that this River some five dayes journey higher issueth from a great lake. He saith further that four days journey from this River, over certaiyne mountains there is a great mediterranean sea; and he offereth to goe him self along in person the next summer with myself or my leiuetennant to show us the same. He saith further that about two dayes journey above the falls or rockes the River divides itself into two branches the one whereof is this, wherein wee are, & the other trendeth towards Hudson's River, and that the farther you goe up the River the broader.

I beseech your honor give me leave to give you a short Relation of the commodities & situation of this River. This River discharges itself into a great Bay in the North part of Virginia in 39 & almost a half of latitude. The river is broad & deepe. and is not inferior to any in the north of America and a ship of 300 tonnes may saile up within three leagues of the rockes. The River aboundeth with beavers, otters, and other meaner furrs, which are not only taken upon the bankes of the main River but likewise in other lesser Rivers which discharge themselves into the greater, whereof I think few Rivers of America have more or more pleasant. The people are for the most part very well proportioned, well featured, gentle, tractable & docible. The land is very good & fruitfull and withall very healthfull. The soyle is sandy and produces divers sorts of fruits, especially grapes which grow wild in great quantity, of which I have eaten sixe severall sorts,

some of them as good as they are ordinarily in Italy or Spaine; and were they replanted, I think they would be farre better. Heere also growes the fruit which in Italy they call lazarvoli, [Medlars ?] plumms divers sorts of berries & divers other fruits not knowne in Europe. The climate is much like that of Italy and all sorts of fruits of that country will thrive heere exceedingly. The earth being fruitefull is covered over with woods and stately timber, except only in those places, where the Indians had planted their corne. The countrey is very well replenished with deere and in some places store of elkes. The low grounds of which there is great quantities, excellent for meadowes & full of beaver & otter. The quantity of fowle is so great as can hardly be beleeved, wee tooke at one time 48 partriches together as they crossed the river chased by wild hawkes. I myself sprang in two houres 5 or 6 conies in walking of a mile. There are infinite number of wild pidgeons, black birds, Turkeys, Swans, wild geese, ducks, Teales, widgions, brants, herons, cranes &c of which there is so great aboundance as that the Rivers and Rockes are covered with them in winter. Of fish heere is plentie but especially sturgeon all the summer time, which are in such aboundance in the upper parts of the River as that great benefitt might be raysed by setting up a fishing for them. For in the spring & beginning of summer the weather is so temperate that they will keepe very well. Heere are also great store of wild hops yet exellent good and as faire as those in England. Heere are also divers other things which with industrie will growe exellent good commodities; and for my part I am confident that this River is the most healthfull, fruitefull & commodious River in all the north of America to be planted.

Hither also very lately came the Hollanders a second time, sent hither by the Governor of the Dutch Plantation, with a Commission to plant & trade heere; but after much