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The First American Geography 329
the fnow and cold of Norway in winter; the tempefts (in a certain degree) of the Weft Indies, in every feafon; and the variable winds and weather of Great Britain in every month in the year.
From this account of the climate, it is eafy to afcertain what degrees of health, and what difeafes prevail. As the inhabitants have the climate, fo they have the accute difeafes of all the countries that have been mentioned.
Concerning New York City, the book says: —
A want of good water has been a great inconvenience to the citizens ; there being but few wells in the city. Moft of the people are fupplied every day with frefh water conveyed to their doors in cafks, from a pump at the head of Queen-ftreet, which receives it from a fpring almoft a mile from the centre of the city. This well is about 20 feet deep, and 4 feet diameter. The average quantity drawn daily from this remarkable well, is no hogfheads of 130 gallons each. In fome hot fummer days, 216 hogfheads have been drawn from it, and what is very fingular, there is never more or lefs than about three feet of water in the well. The water is fold commonly at three pence a hogf-head at the pump. The Manhattan Company was incorporated in 1798, for the purpofe of conveying good water into the city, and their works are now nearly completed.
New York then had a population of sixty thousand, which included about three thousand slaves.
In describing the "Territory N. W. of the Ohio" a list is given of its forts " eftablifhed for the protection of the frontiers," and we are told that
both the high and low lands produce vaft quantities of natural grapes, of which the fettlers univerfally make a fuffi-ciency, for their own confumption, of rich red wine. It is |
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