WADSWORTH'S JOURNAL.

IN August, 1694, Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth of Boston attended the Commissioners of Massachusetts, who met with others, at Albany, to treat with the "Five Nations." Of this tour, Mr. Wadsworth kept a journal, in his pocket-book, of which the following is a literal copy.

Cambridge, April, 1851.

LUCIUS R. PAIGE.

Captain Sewal and Major Townsend, being commission'd to treat with yo Mockways, set out from Boston about halfe an hour past 12 Moonday August 6, 1694. Several Gentlemen did accompany ym to Watertown and then returned. At Watertown, we met with Livetenant Hammond and thirty troopers, who were appointed for a guard to Springfield. We came to our first stage, at Malberough, about halfe an hour past eight in the evening. We lodged at Abraham How's, and thence set forward ye next morning about halfe an hour past seven of ye clock. Y was nothing remarkable this day, but only Mr. Dwite of Hatford did accidentally fall into our company, and after the same manner, scil. accidentally, he and his horse both together fell into a brook; but both rose again without damage. This day we din'd in ye woods. Pleasant descants were made upon y dining room: it was said y' it was large, high, curiously hung with green; our dining place was also accomodated with y pleasancy of a murmuring rivulet. This day, some of our company saw a bear; but being near a thick swamp, he escaped our pursuit. Towards night, we heard (I think) 3 guns; but we knew not who shot them. Our whole company come this day to Quaboag, about sundown, not long before nor after; here we lodged this night. Ye next day, August 8th, we set out from Quaboag, about six of ye clock, and came to Springfield at two or three of ye clock in ye afternoon. This night we went over to Westfeild, and ye next morning, about halfe an hour past 8, we set outt from thence toward Albany, the nearest way thrô y woods, being accompanied with Collonel Pinchon, in commission with Cap. Sewal and Major Townsend, by y Council of yo Province of ye Massachusets Bay, and Collonel Allen and Captain Stanley, Commissioners for Conneticutt Colony. For a guard, we had with us Cap. Wadsworth of Harford, and with him 60 Dragoons. This day we traveled thrô ye woods, about 24 or 25 miles, and might in an ordinary way have gone much farther, but y Collonel Allen was very much indispos'd by reason of a great pain in his back, which occasion'd his frequent dismounting and resting. Ye road which we travelled, this day, was very woody, rocky, mountanous, swampy; extream bad riding it was. I never yet saw so bad travelling as this was. We took up our quarters, this night, by y side of a river, about a quarter past 5. We had a little hutt built for us, with pine-bows, under which we lodg'd very comfortably. We had some curious descants made upon our buildings, lodgings, and entertainment; one, lying some small distance from the fire, was said to ly out of doors. Ye next morning, it was queried whether ye house should be pulled down or sold. On this morning, we set out from our green lodgings towards Albany, about sunrise or a little after. Collonel Allen being very ill, we were hindered in our journeyings upon y account y'of, and so travelled this day but about 25 miles, and took up our lodgings, about sundown, in y woods, at a place called Ousetonuck, formerly inhabited by Indians. Thrô this place runs a very curious river, the same (which some say) runs thrô Stradford; and it has, on each side, several parcels of pleasant, fertile, intervale land. In the morning, two of our souldiers could not find y horses, and were y'fore left a while behind, at our night quarters, with about a dozen or more other souldiers wth ym; but, not finding y horses, y quickly came after us, and overtook us. This day, Cap. Wadsworth had his leg very much hurt, by his horse falling upon it. Ye greatest part of our road, this day, was a hidious, howling wilderness; some part of ye road was not so extream bad. This day we met a negro coming from Albany; but being very suspicious, we took him back with us, and y' night y pinion'd him; but yet, before morning, he was gone, and we saw him no more. Thô we saw him no more, yet we thought of him; for he stool a sword and gun, and escaped y'with. Ye next morning, Aug. 11, we set forward about sunrise, and came, ye foremost of us, to Kindarhook about 3 of y clock; y rest, which were hindered in their motion by reason of Collonel Allen's being not well, came to us about 2 or 3 hours after. Here we took up our quarters at ye house of one John Tison. Here we keept y Sabbath; and y having no minister, we had y libertie of using y meeting house. In this place y is very rich land; a curious river runs thrô the town, on ye banks of which y is some interval land. Y are not many inhabitants; I think y say but twenty families, or thereabouts, at most. Ye houses are in three parcels in this town; and y are two forts, one whereof I saw. Provisions were here very scarce; eggs, twelve pence a score; lambs, twelve shillings a piece, &c. On Munday morning, Aug. 13, we set out for Albany, and having rode about 20 miles thrô a pine plane, we came to Greenbush, about twelve of ye clock, or a little more.

Recollections. Our two souldiers lost y horses, on Thorsday night, Aug. 9; we took y negro on Friday, Aug. 10; y night following, he made his escape; y sword, which it was thought he stole, was afterward found, but not ye gun. When we came to Albany, we understood y' this negro had been a souldier there and had run away from thence. When we came to Kindar-hook, on Saturday, Mr. Cambel and Mr. Roberts, gentlemen which came with us from Boston, were willing to get to Albany y' night; whereupon y two and y only set forward on y journey; but, missing y way, and Mr. Roberts's horse getting from him, y lay in ye woods y night, which was a very stormy, rainy night, but ye next morning got easily to Greenbush, and sent out men who found Mr. Roberts's horse and brought him back.

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But to go on. Munday, Aug. 13, about twelve of ye clock, or a little more, our whole company came to Greenbush, a place so called from those pine-wooods thrô which we rode this day. This is but a smal place, consisting of only a few farm-houses. It lies on y east side of Hodson's river, opposite to ye city of Albany, only about halfe a mile below it. Here we left our horses; and crossing y river, we entered into y town or city of Albany, which is a small place, about 150 miles from New-York. Ye town itselfe, thôn smal, is yet very compact; it is allmost quadrangular, thô y fortification, which dos surround it, is rather triangular. Y east side of ye town lies close upon ye west side of Hodson's river; so close, y' in some places ye water touches y fortification, and is nowhere distant from it above two or three rod, or y'abouts. Ye town is incompass'd with a fortification, consisting of pine-logs, yo most of ym a foot thrô, or more; y are hewed on two sides and set close together, standing about 8 or 10 foot above ground, sharpened at y tops. There are 6 gates; 2 of ym east to ye river, 3 north, one south; y are five block-houses; 2 north, by two of yo foremention'd gates, and 3 south. Y town, especially ye west side of it, lies upon y ascent of a hill; y fortification, as was before mention'd, is somewhat triangular, and ends, as it were, in a point, at ye top of ye hill. On ye top of this hill stands y fort, in which are four flankers; y northwest flanker is built with stone; y rest with wood. In this fort y are 15 or 16 great guns mounted. This fort stands so commodiously, y' it can command ye whole town, and all y' part of ye river which is near it, and also y adjacent hills and vacant land without ye town westward. In my opinion, yo town seems to be well scituate for defence. In ye town y are three streets of a considerable breadth and streightness; two of ym run parallel with y river, scil. N. and South; y 3d comes directly from y fort down to ye lowermost of ye two former streets ; and where these two streets do thus meet, stands their Church. Ye houses are built generally low; but very few of yn have an upright chamber; y lower rooms are built very high: y houses are generally cover'd with tile; and many of y houses ymselves built with brick. Above y town, up yo river, are scattering houses, for a mile or more ; some of ym are deserted, for fear of yo enimie; y are some houses upon y river, below y town. About halfe a mile below ye town lies an Island, called Rensler's Island, containing about 160 acrees of good, level, fertile, arable land; a very curious farm it is.

The day appointed for yo treaty with yo 5 Nations of y Indians, scil. y Maquase, Oneydes, Onnondages, Cayouges, and Sennekes, was yo 15 of Aug. 1694; and accordingly His Excellency y Governour of York, with five of his Council, scil. Collonel Bayard, Coll. William Smith, Coll. Step. Van Cortland, Chidley Brook Esq., Major Peter Schuyler; Coll. Andrew Hamilton, Governour of NewJersays; and Coll. John Pinchon, Cap. Samuel Sewel, Major Penn Townsend, Commissioners for their Majesties Province of yo Massachusets; and Coll. John Allen, Cap. Caleb Stanley, Commissioners for their Majesties Colonie of Conneticutt; these being all present together at Albany, they did on ye foremention'd 15 of Aug. 1694, begin their treaty with 25 Sachims from yo 5 forementioned nations. The treaty was held in ye street, y' runs East and W., a little above the meeting-house. Yo Sachims were attended with many other Indians. When y came to ye place where ye treaty was held, they came two in a rank, Rode, yo Sachim of y Maquase being ye leader, singing all ye way songs of joy and peace. So, likewise, when y were sat down, they sang two or three songs of peace, before they began y treaty. Nothing was said in this treaty, for yo first three days, scil. 15, 16, 17, of Aug., but what was said by y Indians: y treaty was finish'd Aug. 22.

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Provisions are here very scarce and dear; a quarter of mutton, 6 shillings; a tankard of bere, 9 pence; a bottle of wine, 2 shillings. In this place, and so throughout this Province, pieces of eight pass for 6 shillings and 9 pence; rials pas for 9 pence. If a piece of eight be plugged, it will not pass. This law was made, least money should be adulterated.

We keept y Sabbath, Aug. 19, 1694. There was but one meeting house in ye town. Four sermons were preached in it; y 1 and 3d were preached by Domine Dellius, in Dutch; y second and 4th were preached in English, y former by Mr. Joshuah Hubbard, (who came