that poor Boston has felt by this Epidemical Contagion. But we hope
it will be pretty nigh Extinguished, by that time twelve month when
it first began to Spread. It now unhappily spreads in several other
places, among which our Garrisons in the East are to be reckoned some
of the greatest Sufferers.
Altho' Boston did a few weeks ago, meet with a Disaster by Fire, which consumed about twenty Houses near -the Mill-Creek, yet about midnight, between the sixteenth and seventeenth of this Instant, an- other Fire broke forth near the South-Meeting-House, which consumed about five or six houses, and had almost carried the Meeting house it self, one of the fairest Edifices in the Country, if God had not remark- ably assisted the Endeavours of the People to put out the Fire. There were two more considerable Circumstances in the Calamities of this Fire, one was that a young man belonging to the House where the Fire began, unhappily perished in the Flames; it seems that tho' he might sooner awake than some others who did escape, yet he some way lost those Wits that should have taught him to help himself. Another was that the best furnished PRINTING-PRESS, of those few that we know of in America was lost; a loss not presently to be repaired.
There lately arrived at Piscataqua, one Papoon from Penobscot, in a small Shallop, wherein he had used to attend upon the pleasure of Casteen, but took his opportunity to run away, and reports: That a Vessel of small Bulk bound from Bristol to Virginia, having been so long at Sea, till they were prest with want, put in at Penobscot instead of Piscataqua, where the Indians and French seized her, and Butchered the Master, and several of the men: but that himself who belonged unto the Ships Crew, being a Jersey-man, was more favourably used, & found at length an advantage to make his Escape.
The chief discourse of this month has been about the affairs of the Western Expedition against Canada. The Albanians, New-Yorkers and the five Nations of Indians, in the West, had long been pressing of the Massachusetts to make an Expedition by Sea, into Canada, and still made us believe that they stayed for us, and that while we assaulted Quebeck, they would pass the Lake, and by Land make a Descent upon Mount Real. Accordingly this Colony with some assistance from our kind Neighbours of Plimouth; fitted an Army of near five and twenty hundred men, and a Navy of two and thirty sail; which went from hence the beginning of the last August, under the Command of the Honourable Sir William Phips.
In the mean time the English Colonies & Provinces in the West raised Forces, the Numbers whereof have been reported five or six hun- dred. The Honourable General Winthrop was in the Head of these, and advanced within a few miles of the Lake; He there had some good number of Maqua's to joyn his Forces, but contrary to his Expectation, it was found that the Canoo's to have been ready for the Transporta- tion of the Army over the Lake, were not prepared, and the other Na-
