than in the Netherlands. The winds are changeable, and blow
from all points, but generally from the southwest and
northwest; the former prevailing in summer, and the latter
in winter, at times very sharply, but constituting, nevertheless,
the greatest blessing to the country as regards the health of
the people, for being very strong and pure, it drives far
inland or consumes all damps and superfluous moisture. The
coast is generally clean and sandy, the beach detached and
broken into islands. Eastward from the North River lies Long
Island, about forty leagues in length, forming a fine wide
river, which falls at either end into the ocean, and affording
a very convenient passage between the shores which is protected
from the dangers of the sea by a great number of good bays and
other places of anchorage, so that vessels even in winter can
readily pass east and west. Towards the south approaching
the South River, there are several inlets, but they are muddy
and sandy, though after proper experiments they could be used.
Inside these again there are large streams and meadows, but
the waters are for the most part shallow. Along the seacoast
the land is generally sandy or gravelly, not very high, but
tolerably fertile, so that for the most part it is covered
over with beautiful trees. The country is rolling in many
places, with some high mountains, and very fine flats and
maize lands, together with large meadows, salt and fresh, all
making very fine hay land. It is overgrown with all kinds of
trees, standing without order, as in other wildernesses,
except that the maize lands, plains and meadows have few or
no trees, and these with little pains might be made into good
arable land.