I wish most ardently for Goldsmith's book, which you seem so fond of, but know of no way in which I can come at it, unless you can lend me a volume at a time, and send it by the post; but this is too hazardous when the mails are so often robbed, and therefore I do not request it. I see in one of your papers an advertisement by John Sparhawk, who has Cook's Voyage ending in 1775, which, I suppose, was his second voyage. This work I have not seen. Will you be so kind as to enquire the price of it, and let me know of what size it is, and in how many volumes, that I may judge whether it will be proper to purchase it for our library. Are any of the New York edition of Cook's first voyage to be had at Philadelphia? and at what price?

I shall give you some account of the little world in which I move. I have been lately about thirty miles into the country, and in the course of my ramble visited a place called the Flume in Salmon Fall Kiver, which has been described in something of a romantic style in a letter wrote by a certain late Major General to Monsieur Secretary of the embassy (I believe I shewed you my copy of it when I saw you at the Plain), From my own observation I will describe the place to you.

It is about 17 miles from hence. The river for some considerable length, perhaps near a mile, is confined between two rocky banks about twenty or twenty-five feet high, the breadth of the top of the precipice may be threfe or four rods. On the N. Hampshire side, the bank is, in many places, nearly perpendicular, and in some projects over the stream; the other is more sloping. Both are accessible in certain places. The water was very low, owing to long and severe drought, yet the descent was so great and the stream so rapid that it was with difficulty my companions and I could hear each other speak except when we were close together. The rocks in the bed of the river were dry, excepting in the hollows where the water had its course. The narrowest part of the channel was about 4 rods in length, its upper aperture 2\ feet, and its lower 5 feet wide; but, so far from being "as regular as if cut by an instrument," it is very irregular both at the sides and bottom, and bears no other resemblance to the flume of a mill than that the water is confined to a narrow space, and runs wkh great rapidity. In one part of this space, the current was so narrow and shoal that a man might easily stop it with his hand, but by feeling with a stick I plainly discovered a passage under the rock, through which the greater part of the then stream ran unseen. The most curious thing that attracted my attention is not described at all in the General's letter. I mean the excavations made in divers parts of the rock, by the force of the water whirling small stones and wearing deep holes, some in the form of a cylinder, others of a globe. I measured five of these cavities, and their dimensions are as follow: —

The largest of them is considerably above where the water flows now, even in a freshet. It was so filled with heavy stones, gravel, and dirt, that we could not clear it; otherwise, I doubt not we should have found its depth equal at least to its diameter. In one of them we found a large turtle and two frogs. The others had nothing in them but gravel and stones, with a little water, it having rained the morning of that day. These cavities the country people call mortars: the name may suit some of them which are cylindric, but there is one of them that resembles a pot, being of a globular form. Yon remember the account Dr. Mather gave of some such holes at Amoskeag to the Royal Society. Abstracting every thing of the marvellous, they are a real curiosity, and put me in mind of the mortars which are bored in the rock at the Island of Malta, from which it is said they can fire a whole shower of shot and shells on shipping that attempt to approach them. In another part of my journey, I ascended with difficulty a very high mountain called The Moose; but the growth was so tall and thick on the top that my fatigue in climbing was not repaid by any pleasure in the prospect as I expected. There was a pond on the top of the mountain of about a quarter of an acre with water. In another place near it I found a swampy cavity with flags and rushes, but the water was dried. The ascent and descent of this mountain cost me four hours' hard labour, and you may guess I slept that night without waking.

We have here a most extraordinary dry season. Two or three small showers are all the rain we have had since July. The pastures are dry as in December. The woods and swamps are on fire in many places, and have been for a month. Yesterday morning the smoke was as thick as the thickest fog I ever saw; and there is more or less of the cloud of smoke, sometimes overhead and sometimes near the earth, every day. The air is sometimes almost suffocating. I heard one thing yesterday that is remarkable. In a swamp that is on fire at Barrington, there is a small hillock which the fire surrounded, and on it was a collection of toads, frogs, and snakes, who had taken refuge there, and were all croaking and hissing at once in the utmost distress.

But I believe it is time that I should put a period to this history of my little sphere, which I dare say you will think about equal to Swift's news from the hen-roost, &c. If I had any larger and more important matters to entertain you with, you know they would be equally at your service. Mrs. B. is better than when I wrote last. She desires her respectful compliments, and wishes she could again see you here. I wish for your opinion of the two pamphlets I lately sent you, and am, dear sir, with much respect and gratitude, your very affectionate and Obliged friend and servant,

Jeremy Belknap.

To Ebenezer Hazard, Esq.

BELKNAP TO HAZARD.

Sept. 27, 1782.

I Observe in one of your papers a remonstrance or petition of the excluded Quakers complaining of their excluding brethren. There are some here in the same situation, and others who may probably be so, if the society should push the matter of taxes and holding offices so far as to make them censurable. I should be glad to know the issue of this application to the " powers that be;" and, if any thing else of the kind should be transacted among you, I shall wish to have it noticed in your letters. There is a small pamphlet, reprinted in the beginning of the war by Mr. Aitken, the speech or charge of a chief justice in Pennsylvania (I think Chew), containing a refutation of Barclay's principles concerning war. If you can come at one of them, I wish you would enclose it to me.

If you are not tired of executing my commissions, I would beg leave to ask one more favour of you; that is, to enquire among your literary friends for the Royal Commentaries of Peru containing the History of the Yncas, &c, written by Garcilasso de la Vega, and translated by Sir Paul Rycaut into English,* and, if you can find it, and there be any thing in it that may elucidate the subject of the antiquity and population of America, to make some extracts and communicate them to your very much obliged and

Most humble servant, J. B.

To Ebenezer Hazakd, Esq.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

Philadelphia, October 2, 1782.

Mr Dear Sir, — Your favours of 2d and 10th ult. are both before me. I am glad you think the Metropolitan has reason to be rapturous, for the happiness of my friends always encreases mine. It will always give me pleasure to hear that his continues. Yes, there are some things in Leonidas's publications which are worth attending to; but I confess that, for my own part, I was not pleased with the proposal of building a navy immediately. We ought rather to pay our debts, in which we have been extremely deficient. With us, a navy ought to be the work of peace. In our present circumstances, it would be difficult to man one, notwithstanding Leonidas's assertions; and, if we could do it; ours would be insufficient to cope with that of " Greet Brittain" and would only serve to add to their strength, as our frigates have done. In peaceable times, we should have more money to spare, our men would more chearfully enter into the service, and they would have time to improve in naval business. You will know before this reaches you that Congress have given the 74 to France. A good stroke! I think we shall have peace by spring. The Spaniards would hardly approve of your plan of East India trade.

I am glad your friend's affair is so well settled. The two pamphlets came safe to hand. I am obliged to you