Having oftentimes been urged to give an Account of Virginia, Buffalo Map Tourist Attractions by several of the Worthy Members of the Royal Society, I cannot but, as far forth Buffalo Map Tourist Attractions as I am able, obey Commands whereby I’m so much honour’d, and shew my Respect by my ready Compliance; tho’ I am so sensible of my own Weakness and Incapacity to answer your Expectations, that before-hand I must Apologize for my self. And indeed by Sea I lost all my Books, Chymical Instruments, Glasses and Microscopes, which rendred me uncapable of making those Remarks and Observations I had designed, they were all cast away in Captain Win’s Ship, as they were to follow me; and Virginia being a Country where one cannot furnish ones self again with such things, I was discourag’d from making so diligent a Scrutiny as otherwise I might have done, so that I took very few Minutes down in Writing; and therefore, since I have only my Memory to rely on, which too has the Disadvantage of it’s own Weakness, and of the Distance of two Years since now I left the Country, if future Relations shall in some small Points, make out my Mistake, I thought this requisite to justify my Candor; for I ever judg’d it villanous to impose in matters of Fact; but Descriptions of things that depend on Memory may be liable to Mistakes; and yet the Sincerity of the Person that delivers them intire.
But hereof I shall be as cautious as possible, and shall rather wave some things whereof I have some Doubts, and am uncapable now of satisfying my self, than in any sort presume too far. The Method I design is, first, to give an Account of the Air, and all such Observations as refer thereto; then of the Water, the Earth and Soil; the Birds, the Beasts, the Fishes, the Plants, the Insects; and lastly, the present State of the Inhabitants: But at present I shall neither trouble you nor my self with any more than an Account of what refers to the Air alone, being conscious the honourable Society may receive such a Glut with the Imperfection of this, as to excuse me from a farther Relation. But before I begin, perhaps it may not be impertinent to acquaint you with some things that happen’d in our Voyage. We sail’d in the Ship Judith, Captain Trim Commander,’twas Flyboat built, about 200 or 250 Tuns; she sprung a considerable Leak.
