174 STATE OF THE

. truely an Inland sca, of greater breadth than can be seen by the

eye, communicates with Lake Erie, the Lake of the Hurons, Lake Michigan & the Upper lake, all of them Inland seas, By means of these Lakes, & the Rivers which fall into them, Commerce may be carried from New York, through a vast Tract of Land, more easily than from any other maritime Town in North America.

These advatages I am sensible, cannot be sufficiently understood, without a Map of North America. The best whichI have seen, is Mr. De L'Isle's Map of Louisiana, published in French in the year 1718. For this reason I frequently use the French names of places, that I may be better understood. .

There are great Quantities of Iron oar in several parts of the Province, Large Quantities of Sulphur in the Mohawks Country Salt Springs in the Onondaga Country. Lead oar has likewise been found. in several parts of the Province, but no where as yet sufficient to pay the Expence of working.

The Soil is less uniform, as the Surface is more unequal, than in the more Southern Provinces ; & consequently there is a great variety of soil in several parts of the Province. It is generally proper for most sort of Grain, as wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Maiz or Indian Corn & Buckwheat. The wheat of this Province is generally heavier than that of the Provinces more to the Southward & yields a larger quantity & better kind of Flower.