e the fleet was come within sight. Next day our ship
was safely moored by Capt. Dan'l. Leavitt, the Pilot, in the most
convenient situation for landing in the harbor of St. John, all in
good health--where we remained comfortable on board ship (while
others was sickly and precipitated on shore from other ships)
which we proved a providential favor, until we could explore for a
place in the Wilderness suitable for our purpose of settlement. A
boat was procured for the purpose. David Pickett, Israel Hait,
Silas Raymond and others proceeded sixty miles up the River St.
John and report that the inhabitants were settled on Interval
lands by the river--that the high-lands had generally been burned
by the Indians, and there was no church or church Minister in the
country. They were informed of a tract of timbered land that had
not been burned, on Bellisle Bay, about thirty miles from the
harbor of St. John, which they had visited and viewed the
situation favorable for our purpose of settlement. Whereupon we
all agreed (to proceed thither) and disembarked from on board the
good ship Union, and with Capt. Wilson's blessing embarked on
board a small sloop all our baggage. The next morning with all our
effects--women and children--set sail above the falls and arrived
at Bellisle Bay before sunset. Nothing but Wilderness before our
eyes, the women and children did not refrain from tears."

[139] See "Kingston and the Loyalists of 1783," in which Walter Bates'
narrative is edited, with notes by the author of this history;
published at St. John by Barnes & Co. in 1889.

Those who are curious to know what kind of a passage their fore-fathers
had on their voyage to the River St. John will be able to form some
idea from a study of the following record of the weather, kept by
Benjamin Marston, while he was engaged in laying out the town of
Shelburne.

"May 1st, Thursday--Wind east; calm at night.
May 2nd, Friday--Rain; wind south-westerly.
May 3d, Saturday--Fair; wind north-westerly, fresh.
May 4th, Sunday--Fair; wind north-westerly, fresh.
May 5th, Monday--Fair; wind westerly, moderate.
May 6th, Tuesday--Fair; wind easterly changing to southerly.
May 7th, Wednesday--Fair; wind south-easterly.
May 8th, Thursday--Fair; wind easterly.
May 9th, Friday--Fair; wind easterly.
May 10th, Saturday--Weather foggy and at times drizzly; wind
south-easterly.