hich were all in a most flourishing state, with a few small
black alder-trees. There are, likewise, a species of sow-thistle,
goose-grass, some crow's-foot, which has a very fine crimson flower,
and two sorts of _anthericum_, one with a large orange flower, and the
other with a blue one. We also found, in these situations, some wild
rose-bushes, which were just budding, a great quantity of young
leeks, with, triangular leaves, a small sort of grass, and some
water-cresses, which grow about the sides of the rills, besides great
abundance of _andromeda_. Within the woods, besides two sorts of
underwood shrubs unknown to us, are mosses and ferns. Of the first
of which, are seven or eight different sorts, of the last, not above
three or four, and the species of both, are mostly such as are common
to Europe and America.

As the season of the year was unfavourable to our gaining much
knowledge of the vegetable productions of this country, so our own
situation while there, put it out of our power to learn much about
its animals. For as the want of water made it necessary that we
should enter the Sound at first, unforeseen accidents which happened
afterward, though they lengthened our stay, were rather unfavourable
to our obtaining any knowledge of this kind. The emergency of the
case required, that every person should be constantly employed in the
necessary business of the ships, which was the capital object, as the
season was advancing very fast, and the success of the voyage depended
upon their diligence and alacrity in expediting the various tasks
assigned to them. Hence it happened, that excursions of every kind,
either on the land, or by water, were never attempted. And as we lay
in a cove on an island, no other animals were ever seen alive in
the woods there, than two or three racoons, martins, and squirrels.
Besides these, some of our people who, one day, landed on the
continent, near the S.E. side of the entrance of the sound, observed
the prints of a bear's feet near the shore. The account, therefore,
that we can give of the quadrupeds, is taken from the skins which
the natives brought to sell; and these were often so mutilated with
respect to the distinguishing parts, such as the paws, tails, and
heads, that it was impossible even to guess at the animals to whom
they belonged, though others were so perfect, or at least so well
known, that they left no room to doubt about them.

Of these the most common were bears,