vantages cannot be drawn. The disappointments which have attended fome expenfive attempts; the air of mystery thrown over the fubject by ignorant pretenders; and the facility with which every mineral may be imported from abroad, have difcouraged inquiries. But from the fpecimens which have appeared, there can be no doubt of the existence of mineral and foffil treasures, in the search of which, future generations will find employment.

CHA P. XII.

Description of the harbour and river of Pascataqua.

THIS is the only feaport in New-Hamphire; its latitude is 43° 5 N. and its longitude 70° 41′ W. from the royal obfervatory at Greenwich. It is known to feamen by the following marks. Agamenticus, a remarkable mountain in the county of York, lies four leagues due north. Pigeon hill, on Cape Anne, bears due fouth, diftant ten leagues; and the highest of the Ifles of fhoals bears S. E. by S. diftant three leagues from the entrance of the harbour.

In the middle of the harbour's mouth, lies GreatIfland, on which the town of Newcastle is built. On the N. E. point of this island a light houfe was erected in 1771, at the expence of the province; but it is now ceded to the United States. The direc tions for entering the harbour are these Ships 'coming from the East, should keep in twelve fath'om, till the light bears N. half a point E. or W. 'diftant three miles; (to avoid a ledge of rocks 'which lies off the mouth of the harbour;) then bear away for the light, keeping the western fhore on board, and coming no nearer that fhore than 'the depth of nine fathoms; giving the light a prop'er birth, and standing over to the northern fhore ' of the river; where they may anchor in nine fath'oms, abreast of Sparhawk's point. Ships coming 'from the fouthward, fhould obferve the fame directions, respecting the light, and keep in nine fathoms on the western fhore.'

Between the north fide of Great-Island and Kitte ry fhore, is the main entrance, about a mile wide

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nine and ten fathoms deep. The anchorage is good; the fhore is lined with rocks; the harbour is landlocked on all fides, and perfectly fafe. The tides rife from ten to fourteen feet. The other entrance on the fouth fide of Great-Ifland, is called Little Harbour; the water here is fhoal, and the bottom fandy.

There are feveral islands in the river, between which and the fhores are channels for fmall veffels and boats. Between the upper end of Great-Island, and the town of Portsmouth, on the fouthern fide of the river, is a broad, deep, ftill water called the Pool; where the largeft fhips may lie very conveniently and fecurely. This was the ufual ftation for the maft-fhips, of which feven have been loading at one time. In this place the Aftræa fhip of war of twenty guns, was burnt, on a feverely cold morning, January 17, 1744. She had been captured from the Spaniards at Porto Bello; and was taking in a load of naval ftores, for the British fleet at Jamaica, when this accident happened.

The main channel lies between Peirce's island and Seavey's; on each of which, batteries of cannon were planted, and entrenchments formed in 1775. Here the ftream is contracted to a very narrow paffage, and the tide is extremely rapid; but the water is deep, with a bold rocky fhore on each fide. The rapidity of the current prevents the river from freezing in the fevereft winters.

The town of Portsmouth lies about two miles from the fea, on the fouth fhore of the river. The number of dwelling houfes at prefent is about 640, and of other buildings 620. The public buildings are three Congregational churches, one Epifcopal, one Univerfalift, a State-houfe, a Market-house, four School-houses, and a Work-house. The town has convenient wharves, and the anchorage before it is

good. There is depth of water fufficient for the largeft fhips; and there are fuch natural advantages, for all the purposes of building and docking them, and the harbour is fo capable of defence, against any fud den attack by fea, that it might be made a very fafe and commodious port for a navy.

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Ships of war have been built here, both in former and latter times, viz. the Faulkland of 54 guns, 1690; the Bedford-galley, of 32, in 1696; the America, of 40, in 1749; the Raleigh, of 32, in 1776; the Ranger, of 18, in 1777; and a fhip of 74 guns, called the America, was launched the 5th of November, 1782, and prefented to the King of France, by the Congress of the United States.

Three leagues from the mouth of the harbour lie the Ifles of Shoals, which are feven in number. On Star-ifland the town of Gofport is built, which belongs to New-Hampshire. The dividing line runs between that and the next ifland to the northward, which belongs to Maffachusetts. Here is a good road, with moorings; and an artificial dock has been conftructed with great labour and expense, by Mr. Haley, for fishing veffels. Ships fometimes take fhelter here in bad weather, but it is not then fafe for those of large bulk. These islands, being of folid rock, with but little earth, are incapable of any improvement by tillage, though they afford fome pafturage and gardens. The inhabitants have formerly carried on the cod fishery to great advantage; but it has been for fome years declining. Saltworks have been erected on one of the islands, which have yielded falt of a fuperior quality, excellently adapted to the curing of fish.

The Pafcataqua is the only large river whofe whole courfe is in New-Hampshire. Its head is a pond in the N. E. corner of the town of Wakefield, and its general course thence, to the fea, is S. S, E,

about 40 miles. It divides New-Hampshire from York county, in Maffachusetts, and is called Salmon-fall river, from its head, to the lower falls at Berwick; where it affumes the name of Newicha wannock, which it bears till it meets with Cochecho river, which comes from Dover, when both run together in one channel, to Hilton's point, where the western branch meets it. From this junction to the sea, the river is fo rapid that it never freezes ; the distance is seven miles, and the course generally from S. to S. E. The western branch is formed by Swamfcot river which comes from Exeter, Winnicot river which comes through Greenland, and Lamprey river which divides Newmarket from Durham; these empty into a bay, four miles wide, called the Great Bay. The water in its further progress is contracted into a leffer bay, and then it receives Oyster river, which runs through Durham, and Back-river, which comes from Dover, and at length meets with the main stream at Hilton's point. The tide rifes into all these bays and branches, as far as the lower falls in each river, and forms a most rapid current, especially at the season of the freshets, when the ebb continues about two hours longer than the flood; and were it not for the numerous eddies, formed by the indentings of the fhore, the ferries would then be impaffable.

At the lower falls in the feveral branches of the river, are landing places, whence lumber and other country produce is tranfported, and veffels or boats from below discharge their lading: So that in each river there is a convenient trading place, not more than twelve or fifteen miles diftant from Portsmouth, with which there is conftant communication by every tide. Thus the river, from its form, and the fituation of its branches, is extremely favorable to the purposes of navigation and commerce.