An
Abstract
,
OF
A
LETTER
From
a
Person
of
Eminency
and
Worth
in
Caledonia
,
To
a
Friend
at
Boston
in
New-England
.
SIR
,
I
Have
Received
your
kind
Letter
of
the
26
December
last
,
and
Communicated
it
to
the
Gentlemen
of
the
Council
here
;
to
whom
your
kind
Sentiments
and
Readiness
were
very
acceptable
.
Certainly
the
Work
here
begun
is
the
most
Ri'pned
,
Digested
,
and
the
best
Founded
,
as
to
Priviledges
,
Place
,
Time
,
and
other
like
Advantages
,
that
ever
was
yet
begun
in
any
part
of
the
Trading
World
.
We
arrived
upon
this
Coast
the
first
,
and
took
possession
the
third
of
November
:
Our
Situation
is
about
two
Leagues
to
the
Southward
of
Golden
Island
.
(
by
the
Spaniards
called
Guarda
)
in
one
of
the
best
and
most
desenceable
Harbours
perhaps
in
the
World
.
The
Country
is
Healthfull
to
a
wonder
;
insomuch
that
our
own
Sick
,
which
were
many
when
we
Arrived
,
are
now
generally
cuted
.
The
Country
is
exceeding
Fertile
,
and
the
Weather
Temperate
:
The
Country
where
we
are
settled
,
is
dry
,
and
rising
Ground
.
Hills
but
not
high
;
and
on
the
sides
,
and
quite
to
the
tops
,
three
,
four
or
five
foot
good
fat
mould
,
not
a
Rock
or
stone
to
be
seen
.
We
have
but
eight
or
nine
Leagues
to
a
River
,
where
Boats
may
go
into
the
South
Sea
.
The
Natives
for
fitry
Leagues
on
either
side
are
in
intire
Friendship
and
Correspondence
with
us
;
and
if
we
will
be
at
the
pains
,
we
can
gain
those
at
the
greatest
distance
.
For
our
Neighbour
Indians
are
willing
to
be
the
joyfull
Messengers
of
our
settlement
,
and
good
Disposition
to
their
Country
men
.
As
to
the
Innate
Riches
of
the
Country
,
upon
the
first
Information
,
I
always
believed
to
be
very
great
:
But
now
find
it
goes
beyond
all
that
ever
I
thought
,
or
conceived
in
that
matter
.
The
Spaniards
,
as
we
can
understand
,
are
very
much
surpâ—Źized
,
and
alarm'd
and
the
more
that
it
comes
as
a
Thunder-clap
upon
them
;
Having
had
no
notice
of
us
,
untill
three
days
after
our
Arrival
.
We
have
written
to
the
President
of
Panama
,
giving
him
account
of
our
good
and
Peaceable
Intentions
,
and
to
procure
a
good
Understanding
and
Correspondence
;
And
if
that
is
not
Condescended
to
:
we
are
ready
for
what
else
he
pleases
.
It
Merchants
should
once
Erect
Factories
here
,
this
place
will
soon
become
the
best
and
surest
Mart
in
all
America
,
both
for
In-land
and
Over
land
Trade
.
We
want
here
Sloops
and
Coasting
Veslels
;
for
want
of
which
,
and
by
reason
we
have
been
all
Hands
at
Work
,
in
Fortifying
and
fitting
our selves
,
(
which
is
now
pretty
well
over
)
we
had
but
little
Trade
as
yet
:
most
of
our
Goods
Unsold
.
We
are
here
a
Thousand
one
Hundered
Men
,
and
expect
Supplies
every
Day
.
We
have
been
exceeding
unhappy
in
loosing
two
Ministers
who
came
with
us
from
Scotland
;
and
if
New-England
could
supply
us
in
that
,
it
would
be
a
great
and
lasting
Obligation
.
Fort
St.
Andrew
,
April
18th
,
1698
,
9.