but had water in the cavities, at which This river enables us to afcertain the We returned, when we finished our furvey, to our lodging, where we fupped cross-legged, about fun-fet. Soon after, when it was dark, three coverlets richly embroidered were taken from a prefs in the room which we occupied; and delivered, one to each of us; the carpet or fopha and cushion ferving, with this addition, instead of a bed. left burning on a fhelf, and the Conful A lamp was retired to his family, which lay in the fame manner in an adjoining apartment. We pulled off our coats and foes, and expected to be much refrethed by sleeping on fhore. We had not been apprized of a nightly plague, which haunts the place, or perhaps rather the houses of the Jews. Two of us could not obtain relt for a moment, but waited the approach of dawn with a degree of impatience equalled only by our bodily fufferings, which cannot be described. We had agreed in the evening to vifit fome neighbouring place on the continent, with the principal iflands near the mouth of the Hellefpont. Early in the morning, the Conful afked for money to purchase provisions, which, with other neceffaries, were put into a fcheick or wherry. He embarked with us, between the hours of eight and nine by our watches. We had fix Turks, who rowed, a Janizary, and a Jew fervant. The two latter, with the Conful, fat cross-legged before us, on a small carpet; as the rais or master of the boat did behind, teering with the handle of the helm over his fhoulder. We foon croffed the Hellefpont, and, coating by the European fhore, faw fe Aug. veral folitary king-fifhers, with young partridges, among vaft fingle rocks. The winter torrents had worn deep gullies, but which we were informed, turns a mill. the courses were dry, except a stream, A narrow valley, or two, was green with the cotton plant and with vines, or fowed with grain. bay, called antiently Coelos, we landed After paffing the mouth of a port or about eleven on the Cherfonese of Thrace, near the first European caftle, within the entrance of the Hellefpont; and afcended to the miferable cottage of a poor Jew in the town. fpread on the mud-floor of a room by the Here a mat was fea-fide, and the eatables we had provi ded were placed on it. The noon-tide heat at this place was exceffive. The Conful retired, as ufual, to fleep; while we alfo refted, or were amufed with the prospect from the window. Beneath us fia on the right hand; and, oppofite, was the fhining canal, with Cape Maluthe Afiatic town and catile, with the noble plain divided by the Scamander; and the barrows mentioned before, two ftanding by each other, not far from the fhore, within Sigeum; and one more remote. The ancient name of this town, which Eleus. The fireets or lanes are narrow is exceedingly mean and wretched, was and intricate. It is on the north fide of the caftle, and ranges along the brink of a precipice. we were informed that the Governor gave When the heat was abated a little, us permiffion to refresh in his garden. We difmiffed his meffenger with a bacfhifh, or prefent of three piasters *, and an excufe, that we were just going away; but this was not accepted; and we paid another piafter for feeing a very small nothing, except two vines, a fig and a fpot of ground walled in, and containing pomegranate tree, and a well of excellent water. rowed the wherry round Maftufia, and The Turks, after we were landed, had waited for us without the point. In our way to them, by the cattle wall, we faw a large Corinthian capital; and an altar, made hollow, and ufed as a mortar for bruifing corn. the town is a bare barrow. By this was Near the other end of formerly the facred portion of Protefilaus, and his Temple, to which perhaps the NOT E. * A piafter is about half a crown Елraus. Thefe are a fmall filver coin, about glish, and is equal in value to thirty pethe fize of an English penny. marble marble fragments have belonged. He was one of the Leaders in the Trojan expedition, and was killed by Hector. Afterwards he was worshipped as a Hero, and reputed the Patron or tutelary Deity of Eleus. After fome delay we got on board our wherry, and, leaving the port of Tenedos, coaft d, with the island on our right hand. We foon paffed a creek, which is frequented by fmall craft during the vintage, and has near it a folitary church with a fountain or fpring of excellent water, and at some distance a quarry of ftone or marble. The gullies and the flopes of the hills were green with vines. We doubled a craggy point, and faw fome cliffs inhabited by wild pigeons; with some partridges, a few cattle, and a church, by which, we were told, is a water noted for its purgative qualities. We landed about ten on a fair beach, having gone almost half round the island. We were now near the building which we had purposed to examine. It proved a small arched room, the masonry ancient, underneath a mean ruined church. You defcend to it by a few steps, with a light. The floor was covered with water. Near it was a fig tree or two, and a fountain, with an infcription, in modern Greek characters, fixed in the wall. the wafte current paffes below from another ciftern, often an ancient farcophagus. It is common to find a cup of tin or iron hanging near by a chain; or a wooden scoop with a handle, placed in a niche in the wall; the front is of stone or marble; and, in fome, painted and decorated with gilding, and with an inscription in Turkish characters in relievo. The Reader, as we proceed, will find frequent mention of fountains. Their number is owing to the nature of the country and the climate. The foil, parched and thirsty, demands moisture to aid vegetation; and a cloudlefs fun, which inflames the air, requires for the people the verdure, fhade, and coolness, its agreeable attendants. Hence they occur not only in the towns and villages, but in the fields and gardens, and by the fides of the road, and of the beaten tracts on the mountains. Many of them are the ufeful donations of humane perfons, while living; or have been bequeathed as legacies on their decease The Turks esteem the erecting them as meritorious, and feldom go away, after performing their ablution or drinking, without gratefully bleffing the name and memory of the founder. The method of obtaining the neceffary fupplies of water, ufed by the ancients, ftill prevails. It is by conveying the fluid from the fprings or fources, which are fometimes very remote, in earthen pipes, or paved channels, carried over .the gaps and breaks in the way on arches. When arrived at the deftined spot, it is received by a cittern with a vent; and Auguft, 1775, The women refort to the fountains by their houses, each with a large two handled earthen jar on their back, or thrown over their shoulder, for water. They affemble at one without the village or town, if no river be near, to wash their linen, which is afterwards fpread on the ground or bushes to dry. To thefe alfo the Turks and Greeks frequently repair for refreshment; efpecially the latter on their feftivals, when whole families are seen fitting on the grafs, and enjoying their early or evening repaft, beneath the trees by the fide of a rill. And, at those near the roads, the traveller, fun-burnt and thirsty, after a fcorching ride, finds cool water, the fhelter of a plane or fome spreading tree, and a green plat to repofe or dine on; affording him a degree of pleasure not adequately conceived, unless by those who have experienced it. We agreed, to let the heat of noon be paffed, before we proceeded on our voyage. A carpet was spread for us under a thady holm, and a fire kindled at fome diftance. We now received each a lighted pipe and a difh of coffee. A kettle was then filled with water, and fome fowls, which we had provided, made ready to be boiled. The French Conful, who had joined us, undertook to furnish grapes. His vineyard was a confiderable way off toward the town, but two of us, attended by a couple of armed Turks, chofe to accompany him. We croffed a kind of heath fpread with wild thyme, fage, and low bushes of maftic, to a spot fhaded with cypreffes, where was a church as miferable as that we had left, confifting only of loofe ftones piled for walls, without a roof. It had a well close by. We faw a few trees, fome common fiubble, and fome fields of Turky wheat, and of fefamus. The foil was parched; but in the center of the island we found a large tract sheltered by naked barren hills, and green with olive trees and with vines. The grapes hung in numerous clusters, rich and tempting, and we eat freely, being affured the fruit was innocent and even wholefome, efpecially if plucked before the air within it was rarified by the fun. In about a fortnight the 0.09 vintage 464 Proceedings of the American Colonists. of us. On our return to the tree we found the Account of the Proceedings of the American AVING already given an account of the meeting of the General Affembly of Pennfylvania, and the reception which Lord North's conciliatory plan met with in that Houfe; (See p. 425, in our laft magazine) we fhall proceed to collect from the Affemblies of the other provinces, as they are called together, the true fenfe of the American people on this important propofition. On the 4th of April the Affembly of North Carolina met, when his Excellency Governor Martin opened the feffion with a long and elaborate fpeech, in which he pathetically laid before the House the confequences of the violent proceedings in fome of his Majesty's other colonies; lamented the influence which their evil examples had produced in the province of which he was Governor ; and exhorted the Affembly to endeavour to avert thofe embarraffing diftreffes from the people of whom they were the legal reprefentatives, which thofe refractory colonies bringing upon themfelves:-diftreffes, he were faid, moft dreadful to contemplate, whence ares of time will not REDEEM them to their now envied felicity. After this general cenfure he proceeds to particularize. "The meetings, said he, to which the people have been excited; the appoint nent of committees; the violences thefe ittle, illegal, unreftrained, and arbitrary ribunals, have done to the rights of his Majetty's fubjects; the flagrant and unardonable infults they have offered to Aug. the highest authorities of the state; and upon the innocent people, and they have undeceive the people; to lead them back you, Gentlemen, that I have already re- perfuade the Affembly to unite in fuch a 44 measures measures of appointing Delegates to attend a Congress at Philadelphia, now in agitation, will be highly offenfive to the King; and this, I cannot doubt, will be a reafon with you of the greateft force, to oppose fo dangerous a step." He concluded with putting them in mind of the exhausted state of the public treafury, the dues of public officers unpaid, the regular administration of justice fufpended, the judges unprovided for; and affured them that he had received his majetty's determination upon the propofed regulations with regard to proceedings by attachments. Laftly, refpecting matters of finance and mode of taxation, as well as the regulation of the public treasury, he recommended the fyftem of New-York and Maryland, in which last colony, he faid, public credit is eftablifhed on the firmeft bafis. Hoped they would fee the neceffity of fill fupporting the ufual establishment of Fort Johnfon, and that by their temper and unanimity a speedy and happy conclufion might be put to their prefent feffion. In anfwer to this fpeech, the Affembly declare the highest fenfe of their allegiance to the King; fenfible, however, that the fame conftitution which eftablifhed that allegiance, bound Majefty under as folemn obligations to protect fubjects, in their just rights and privileges, wife ly intending reciprocal defendance to secure the happiness of both. They contemplate with a degree of horror the unhappy ftate of America, involved in the most embarraffing diftreffes by a number of unconftitutional invafions of their juft rights, by which the Colonies have been precipitated into nieafures, extraordinary perhaps in their nature, but warranted by neceffity; among which the appointment of Committees in the feveral towns and counties took its birth, to prevent as much as in them lay the operation of fuch unconflitutional incroachments: they add, that the Affembly remain unconvinced of any fteps taken by thofe Committees, but fuch as they are compelled to take for that falutary purpose. It is not to be controverted, fay they, that the people have a right to petition for redrefs of grievances: ard if they have a right to petition, they have a right to meet. To attempt, therefore, under the mafk of authority, to prevent or forbid a meeting of the people, is a vain ef fort unduly to exercife power in direct oppofition to the conftitution. They could by no means agree with his Excel.ency in fo much as withing to pre vent the operation of a convention compofed of the refpectable reprefentatives of the people appointed for a special impor tant purpose, to which, though their conflituents might think them competent, yet as their meeting depended on the pleasure of the Crown, they would have been unwife to have trufied, as the people had not the least reason to think that their General Affembly would have been permitted to fit till too late to appoint Delegates to attend the Continental Congrefs at Philadelphia; a meafure which they joined the rest of America in thinking effential to its interest. They neither knew nor believed that any bafe arts had been practised to miflead the people from their duty; but they knew for a certainty, that a variety of oppreffive and unconftitutional proceedings of the British Parliament had made the fteps they had taken neceffary; they had, therefore, much to lament that his Excellency fhould add a fanétion to fuch groundlefs in putations, which could have no other tendency but to weaken the influence which the united Petition of his Majefty's American subjects might otherwife have upon their Sovereign for the red refs of grievances of which they fo juitly complained. They fhould feel, they faid, inexpreffible concern at the information given them by his Excellency, that the appointment of Delegates to attend the Congress at Philadelphia would be highly offensive to the King, but that they had been recently informed, from the beft authority, that his Majefty had been pleased to receive very gracioufly the united petition of his American fubjects, addreffed to him by the Continental Delegates lately convened at Philadelphia. They fay, they will always receive with pleafure the information of any marks of loyalty to the King given to his Excellency by the inhabitants of their Colony; but, if by fignal proofs are meant those addreffes lately published in the NorthCarolina Gazette, the Aflembly can receive no pleasure from his Excellency's congratulations thereupon, but what refults from the confideration, that in this populous province fo few have been found weak enough to be feduced from their duty, and prevailed upon by the bafe arts of wicked and defigning men to adopt principles fo contrary to the fenfe of all America, and fo deftructive of thofe rights it was their duty to maintain The exhaufted ftate of the public funds, they fay, is no fault of theirs. They were in 1773 with-held from pathing any IV. That, on the death, removal, or refignation, of any Member, his place fhall be fupplied by a new choice, at the next fitting of Affembly of the Colony he represented. V. That the Grand Council fhall meet once in every year, if they fhall think it neceffary, and oftener, if occafion fhall require, at fuch time and place as they fhall adjourn to at the laft preceding m.eting, or as they fhall be called to meet at, by the President General, on any emergency. Court-Law, but upon fuch terms as their Prefident-General, as foon as convenientduty rendered it impoffible to accept: ly may be after his appointment. in 1774 his Excellency did not think proper to meet them at the usual time. The ireafury, by these means being deprived of two years collection of taxes, muft confequently be unable to answer the demands upon it till an act can be pailed to enable it to discharge them; and convinced, as they are, of the neceffity of courts of juftice, they would willingly adopt a plan for the establishment of them. And for independant judges of capacity and integrity they would with the greatest pleasure liberally provide; but for the ufual establishments for Port Johnfon, the impoverished ftate of the public finances will not permit them to provide. Such was the Anfwer which the General Affembly of North Carolina returned to Governor Martin's conciliatory fpeech; in which, however, not a word is faid of Lord North's plan, probably to feel the pulfe of the majority before it was propofed. A plan, however, of another tendency, has been circulated in the Colonies, and faid to have been under confideration during the fitting of the firft Continental Congress at Philadelphia, and is to this effect: "I.That a British and American Legiflature, for regulating the adminiftration of the general affairs of America, be propofed and established in America, including all the faid Colonies; within and under which government each Colony fhall retain its prefent conftitution, and powers of regulating and governing its own internal police in all cafes whatever. II. That the faid government be adminiftered by a Prefident-General, to be appointed by the King, and a Grand Council, to be chofen by the Reprefentatives of the people of the feveral Colonies, in their respective Affemblies, once in every three years. III. That the feveral Affemblies thall, choose Members for the Grand Council in the following proportions, viz. * New Hampshire, Delaware Counties, Maffachufets Bay, Maryland,. Rhode Island, Virginia, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Georgia; who fhall meet at the City of The fums each were to furnish were left blank, to be filled up by the Congrefs. VI. That the Grand Council fhall have power to choose their Speaker, and shall hold and exercise all the like rights, liberties, and privileges, as are held and exercised by and in the House of Commons of Great-Britain. VII. That the President-General shall hold his office during the pleasure of the King, and his affent fhall be requifite to all acts of the Grand Council; and it shall be his office and duty to cause them to be carried into execution. VIII. That the Prefident-General, by and with the advice and confent of the Grand-Council, hold and exercise all the legislative rights, powers, and authorities, neceffary for regulating and adminiftering all the general police and affairs of the Colonies, in which Great-Britain and the Colonies in general, or more than one Colony, are in any manner concerned, as well civil and criminal as commercial. IX. That the faid Prefident-General and Grand Council be an inferior and distinct branch of the British Legislature, united and incorporated with it, for the aforefaid general purposes; and that any of the faid general regulations may originate and be formed and digefted either in the Parliament of Great-Britain, or in the faid Grand Council, and, being prepared, tranfmitted to the other for their approbation or diffent; and that the affent of both fhall be requifite to the validity of all fuch general acts or sta tutes. X. That, in time of war, all bills for granting aids to the Crown, prepared by the Grand Council, and approved by the Prefident-General, fhall be valid, and paff d into a law, without the afsent of the British Parliament." We have only to obferve on this plan, that if the affent of both tribunals, viz. the Grand American Council and British Parliament, be necellary to establish the validity of any law refpecting America, |