York according to our Skipper is Four Pence, of a Barrel of Flour one Shilling and of a Hogshead of Flour 7/6 and he thinks they have the same rates from Kaatskill. In the Night we ran ground among the Highlands about 50 Miles from N. York between Orange and Duchess Counties. The Highlands here are not so lofty as I expected and the River at this place appears to be about Half a Mile wide. 7th Our Company went on Shore up the Rocks to a miserable

346 The Hudson River

Farm and House in Orange & left with the Farmer a Direction for Otego (the Name of a Creek of the River Susquehannah whereon & in the Vicinity we afterwards formed a Settlement) as he and a few of his Neighbours seemed desirous to seek new Habitations, he pays Seven Pounds a Year Rent for about loo acres including Rocks and Mountains -- Hudson's River is strait to the Highlands, but thro them very crooked, many Strawberries are to be seen about the Banks & stony Fields. Martiler's Rock stands in a part of the River w^hich is exceeding deep wnth a bold Shore encircled on either Hand by aspiring Mountains & thro them there is a View^ of a fine Country above, here it is chiefly that the sudden Flaws sometimes take the River Vessels for which Reason they have upright Masts for the more expeditious lowering of the Sails on any sudden Occasion -- beyond the above Rock lies Pollaples Island -- but a few Wheat and Rye Fields appear along the East Side of the River from N. York hither and a very few Fields are ploughed as if intended for Indian Corn, the Lands seem proper for Sheep or perhaps (if the severity of our Winters will admit) for Vineyards.