1769. confifting of fmall temporary fheds, where we landed, and
i__— ) were received by the people with the utmoft kindnefs and
n ay 10' hofpitality : they treated us with a flat fhell-fiih o f a molt delicious
tafte, fomewhat like a cockle, which we eat hot from
the coals. Near this place is a high point or peninfula, projecting
into the river, and upon it are the remains of a fort,
which they call Eppah or Heppah. The belt engineer in Europe
could not have chofen a fituation better adapted to enable
a fmall number to defend themfelves againfl: a greater.
The fteepnefs of the cliffs renders it wholly inacceflible from
the water which inclofes it on three fides; and, to the land,
it is fortified by a ditch, and a bank raifed on the infide:
from the top of the bank to the bottom of the ditch, is two
and twenty feet; the ditch on the outfide is fourteen feet
deep, and its breadth is in proportion. The whole feemed
to have been executed with great judgment; and there had
been a row of pickets or pallifadoes, both on the top of the
bank and along the brink of the ditch on the outfide; thofe
on the outfide had been driven very deep into the ground,
and were inclined towards the ditch, fo as to projeit over i t ;
but of thefe the thickeft pofts only were left, and upon them
there were evident marks of fire, fo that the place had probably
been taken and deftroyed by an enemy. If any oc-
cafion fhould make it necefiary for a fhip to winter here, or
flay any time, tents might be built in this place, which is
fufficiently fpacious, with great convenience, and might eafily
be made impregnable to the whole country.
Saturday n. On the eleventh, »here was fo much wind and rain that
no canoe came off; but the long-boat was fent to fetch oyfi-
ters from one of the beds which had been difcovered the day
before: the boat foon returned, deeply laden, and the oyfters,
which were as good as ever came from Colchefter, and about
the fame fize, were laid down under the booms, and the