CHA P. XII.

Defcription of the Harbour and River of Pafcataqua.

THIS

fhire ;

HIS is the only feaport in New-Hampits latitude is 43° 5' N. and its longitude 70° 41' W. from the royal obfervatory at Greenwich. It is known to feamen by the following marks. Agamenticus, a remarkable mountain in the county of York, lies four leagues due north. Pigeon hill, on Cape Anne, bears due fouth, diftant ten leagues; and the highest of the ifles of fhoals bears S. E. by S. diftant three leagues from the entrance of the harbour.

In the middle of the harbour's mouth, lies Great-Ifland, on which the town of Newcaltle is built. On the N. E. point of this island a light houfe was erected in 1771, at the expenfe of the province; but it is now ceded to the United States. The directions for entering the harbour are thefe: Ships coming from the Eaft, fhould keep in twelve fathom, 'till the light bears N. half a point E. or W. 'diftant three miles; (to avoid a ledge of rocks which lies off the mouth of the har'bour; then bear away for the light, keep

ing the western fhore on board, and coming 'no nearer that fhore, than the depth of nine fathoms; giving the light a proper birth, and 'ftanding over to the northern fhore of the river; where they may anchor in nine fathoms, abreast of Sparhawk's point. Ships coming 'from the fouthward, fhould obferve the fame directions, refpecting the light, and keep in nine fathoms on the western fhore."

Between the north fide of Great-Ifland and Kittery fhore, is the main entrance, about à mile wide, nine and ten fathoms deep. The anchorage is good; the fhore is lined with rocks; the harbour is land-locked on all fides, and perfectly fafe. The tides rife from ten to fourteen feet. The other entrance on the fouth fide of Great-Island, is called Little Harbour; the water here is fhoal, and the bottom fandy.

There are feveral islands in the river, between which and the fhores are channels for small veffels and boats. Between the upper end of Great-Ifland, and the town of Portfimouth, on the fouthern fide of the river, is a broad, deep, ftill water called the Pool; where the largest ships may lie very conveniently and fecurely. This was the ufual ftation for the mast-ships, of which seven have been loading at one time. In this place the Aftræa fhip of war of twenty guns, was burnt, on a feverely cold morning, January

January 17, 1744. She had been captured from the Spaniards at Porto Bello; and was taking in a load of naval ftores, for the British fleet at, Jamaica, when this accident happen

ed.

The main channel lies between Peirce's island and Seavey's; on each of which, batteries of cannon were planted, and entrenchments formed in 1775. Here the ftream is contracted to a very narrow paffage, and the tide is extremely rapid; but the water is deep, with a bold rocky fhore on each fide. The rapidity of the current prevents the river from freezing in the feverest winters.

The town of Portsmouth lies about two miles from the fea, on the fouth fhore of the river. The number of dwelling, houses at prefent is about 640, and of other buildings 620. The public buildings are three Congregational churches, one Epifcopal, one Univerfalift, a State-house, a Market-house, four School-houses, and a Work-house. The town has convenient wharves, and the anchorage before it is good. There is depth of water fufficient for the largest ships; and there are fuch natural advantages, for all the purpofes of building and docking them, and the harbour is fo capable of defence, against any fudden attack by fea, that it might be made a very fafe and commodious port, for a navy.

Ships of war have been built here, both in former and later times, viz. the Faulkland, of 54 guns, in 1690; the Bedford-galley, of 32, in 1696; the America, of 40, in 1749; the Raleigh, of 32, in 1776; the Ranger, of 18, in 1777; and a ship of 74 guns, called the America, was launched the 5th of November, 1782, and prefented to the King of France, by the Congrefs of the United States.

Three leagues from the mouth of the harbour lie the ifles of Shoals, which are feven in number. On Star-ifland, the town of Gofport is built, which belongs to New-Hampshire. The dividing line runs between that and the next ifland to the northward, which belongs to Maffachusetts. Here is a good road, with moorings; and an artificial dock has been conftructed with great labour and expense, by Mr. Haley, for fishing veffels. Ships fometimes take fhelter here in bad weather, but it is not then safe for those of large bulk. Thefe iflands, being of folid rock, with but little earth, are incapable of any improvement by tillage, though they afford fome pafturage and gardens. The inhabitants have formerly carried on the cod fishery to great advantage; but it has been for fome years declining. Saltworks have been erected on one of the islands, which have yielded falt of a fuperior quality, excellently adapted to the curing of fish.

The

The Pafcataqua is the only large river whose whole courfe is in New-Hampshire. Its head is a pond in the N. E. corner of the town of Wakefield, and its general courfe thence, to the fea, is S. S. E. about 40 miles. It divides NewHampshire from York county, in Maffachufetts, and is called Salmon-fall river, from its head, to the lower falls at Berwick; where it affumes the name of Newichawannock, which it bears till it meets with Cochecho river, which comes from Dover, when both run together in one channel, to Hilton's point, where the western branch meets it. From this junction to the fea, the river is fo rapid that it never freezes the diftance is seven miles, and the courfe generally from S. to S. E. The weft ern branch is formed by Swamfcot river which comes from Exeter, Winnicot river which comes through Greenland, and Lamprey river which divides Newmarket from Durham thefe empty into a bay, four miles, wide, called the Great Bay. The water in its further progress is contracted into a lesser bay, and then it receives Oyster river, which runs through Durham, and Back-river, which comes from Dover, and at length meets with the main stream at Hilton's point. The tide rifes into all these bays and branches, as far as the lower falls in each river, and forms a most rapid current, especially at the feason of the frefhets,