the capital city of the province of Holland and of the United Netherlands, is seated on the river Amstel and an arm of the sea called the Wye. The air is but indifferent, on account of the marshes that surround it, and render the city almost inaccessible; but this inconvenience is abundantly compensated by the utility of its commerce, which the port serves greatly to promote; for it will contain above 1000 large ships.

In 1244, it was nothing but a small castle, called Amstel from the name of the river, which its lords made a retreat for fishermen, who at first lived in huts covered with thatch; but it soon became considerable, and had a bridge and towers built upon it, insomuch that it rose to a small city; though, till the year 1490, it was surrounded with nothing but a weak pallidado. The walls were then built with brick, to defend it from the incursions of the inhabitants of Utrecht, with whom the Hollanders were often quarrelling; but some months afterwards it was almost reduced to ashes. In 1512, it was besieged by the people of Guelderland; who not being able to take it, set fire to the ships in the harbour. In 1525, an Anabaptist leader, with 600 of his followers, got into the city in the night-time, attacked the townhouse, and defeated those that made any resistance. At length they barricaded, with wool and hop sacks, the avenues to the market place, where these enthusiasts were posted; and so put a stop to their fury till day appeared, at which time the citizens fell upon them on all sides, and forced them to retire into the townhouse, where most of them were cut to pieces. About ten years after, there was another tumult raised by a parcel of fanatics, consisting of men and women, who ran about the streets stark naked, and had a design of making themselves matters of the townhouse. Their shrieks and cries, which were dreadful enough, soon alarmed the inhabitants, who seized the greatest part of them, and gave them the chastisement they deserved.

Amsterdam was one of the last cities that embraced the reformed religion. It was besieged by the Hollanders in 1578, and submitted after a siege of ten months. One article of the capitulation was, free exercise of the Roman Catholic religion; but this was not observed by the Protestants; for they soon drove the ecclesiastics, monks, and nuns, out of the city, broke the images, and demolished the altars. From this time it became the general rendezvous of all nations and of every sect, which raised it to that degree of grandeur and opulence it now enjoys. The inhabitants were often obliged to enlarge the bounds of their city, and in 1675 it was increased to its present extent. It was surrounded with a brick wall, and a large ditch 80 feet broad full of running water. The walls were fortified with 26 bastions, on each of which there is now a windmill. There are eight gates towards the land, and one towards the water.

Amsterdam being seated on a marshy foil, is built on piles of wood; for which reason no coaches are allowed, except to great men and physicians, who pay a tax for that privilege; and all kinds of goods are drawn on sledges. It stands so low, that they would be exposed to inundations, if they did not secure themselves by dykes and sluices. The finest streets are, the Keyfar's Graft, or Emperor's Canal; the Heer Graft, or Lords Canal; the Cingel; and the street of Haerlem. The principal canal is remarkable for its houses, which are magnificent structures of an equal height. Here are three prodigious sluices, and a great number of canals which cross the city in many parts, and render the streets clean and pleasant. The canals are deep, their sides are lined with hewn stone, they have generally rows of trees planted on each side, and many stone bridges over different parts of them.

The finest is that called the Amarrack, which is formed by the waters of the Amstel, into which the tide comes up, and on the sides of which are two large quays. This canal has several bridges. The principal is that next the sea, called Pont Neuf, or the New Bridge: it is 600 feet long, and 70 broad, with iron ballustrades on each side; it has 36 arches, of which 11 are very high, and eight are flut up to enclose the yachts. From this bridge there is a most charming prospect of the city, port, and sea. The port is a mile and a half in length, and above 1000 paces in breadth. It is always filled with a multitude of vessels, which look like a forest, or rather a floating city. The streets in general are well paved, and the houses built of brick or stone. Towards the sides of the haven, the city is enclosed with great poles driven into the ground, which are joined by large beams placed horizontally. There are openings to let the ships in and out, which are shut every night at the ringing of a bell.

Amsterdam is computed to be half as big as London, including the fortifications, and almost as populous in proportion. There are people here of almost every nation and religion in Europe, who are all tolerated in their respective persuasions; but none admitted to any share in the government except the Calvinists. There are 11 churches for the Dutch of the established or Calvinistical religion, with two French and one High Dutch. The English have also three churches in this city: one for the Presbyterians, whose ministers are paid by the magistrates; a second for those of the church of England, whose minister is paid by his Britannic majesty; and a third for the Brownists, who maintain their own ministers. None but the Calvinists are allowed to have bells, and their ministers are maintained by the magistrates. All these churches or congregations make up only a third part of the inhabitants of the city. The Roman Catholics, who have 27 houses or chapels for their worship, form another third part. Here they have a long square of houses for their beguines (a kind of nuns) to live in; who are not shut up in cloisters as other nuns in Roman Catholic countries, but have liberty to walk abroad, and may even marry when they are tired of this kind of life. These chapels of the Roman Catholics have no bells allowed. lowed them, being looked upon as conventicles, and may be shut up and opened according as the government pleases. The other third part of the city is made up of Jews, Lutherans, Arminians, Anabaptists, &c., none of whom, as was said of the Roman Catholics, are allowed to have bells in their churches. Those who marry, and are not of the established religion, are obliged to be joined first by the magistrates, and then they may perform the ceremony in their own assemblies. The Jews, who are very considerable in this place, have two synagogues; one of which, namely the Portuguese, is the largest in Europe. Within the court yard, where their synagogue stands, they have several rooms or schools, where their children are taught Hebrew, and very carefully instructed in the Jewish religion.

The most remarkable of the religious buildings is the New Church, dedicated to St Catharine. It was begun in the year 1458, others say 1414; and was 100 years in building. It had the misfortune of being burnt in the year 1643, but was in a short time after built in a more magnificent manner. The foundation of a steeple is laid before this church, which was designed to be very high. The piles on which it was to be erected are not above 100 feet square, and yet they are 6334 in number, and those very large. Nevertheless it was thought that these vast piles, or rather the ground, were not able to support the prodigious weight they intended to lay upon it; for which reason the steeple remains unfinished. The pulpit is a masterpiece of the kind, where the four evangelists and many other curious pieces of sculpture are represented. The glass windows are adorned with paintings, among which the emperor Maximilian is described, presenting an imperial crown to the burgomasters of Amsterdam for the crest of the arms of this city. The organ is very large, and reckoned one of the best in the world. It has a set of pipes that counterfeit a chorus of voices, and has 52 whole stops besides half stops, with two rows of keys for the feet, and three rows of keys for the hands. Those who hear it play for the first time imagine they hear a human voice. The grate dividing the chancel from the body of the church is all of Corinthian brass. The branches of candlesticks are the richest in the Seven Provinces. There is a very fine marble monument erected to Admiral Ruyter, who was killed at Meeina.

The public buildings of a civil nature are very magnificent. The stadhofe was founded in 1648. It is built upon 14,000 wooden piles; and its front is 282 feet long, its sides 255 feet, and its height to the roof 116. There is a marble pediment in the front, wherein a woman is carved in relief, holding the arms of the city; she is seated in a chair, supported by two lions, with an olive branch in her right hand; on each side are four Naiads who present her with a crown of palm and laurel, and two other marine goddesses present her with different sorts of fruit; besides, there is Neptune with his trident, accompanied with Tritons, a sea-unicorn, and a sea-horse. On the top stand three statues in bronze, representing Justice, Strength, and Plenty. On the top of the structure is a round tower, 50 feet above the roof, adorned with statues, and an harmonious chime of bells, the biggest of which weighs about 7000 pounds, and the next 6000. They are made to play different tunes every month. It has not one handsome gate, but only seven doors to answer to the number of the United Provinces. On the floor of the great hall are two globes, the celestial and terrestrial, which are 22 feet in diameter and 69 in circumference. They are made of black and white marble, and are inlaid with jasper and copper. In general, all the chambers are enriched with paintings, carvings, and gildings. While this stadhofe was building, the old one was set on fire, and consumed with all the archives and registers.

Under the stadhofe is a prodigious vault, wherein is kept the bank of Amsterdam, where there is a vast quantity of ingots both of gold and silver, as also bags which are supposed to be full of money. The doors are proof against petards, and are never opened but in the presence of one of the burgomasters. The prisons for debtors and criminals are likewise under the stadhofe; as also the guard-room for the citizens, wherein the keys of the city are locked every night. At the end of the great hall is the schepens or aldermen's chamber, where civil causes are tried. Besides these, there are the chambers of the senate and council, the burgomasters' chamber, the chamber of accounts, &c. In the second story is a large magazine of arms; and on the top of the building are six large cisterns of water, which may be conveyed to any room in the house in case of fire; to prevent which the chimneys are lined with copper.

The bourde, or exchange, where the merchants assemble, is all of free-stone, and built upon 2000 wooden piles. Its length is about 250 feet, and its breadth 140. The galleries are supported by 26 marble columns, upon each of which are the names of the people that are to meet there. They are all numbered; and there is a place fixed for every merchandise under some one of these numbers. On the right hand of the gate is a superb staircase which leads to the galleries; on one side of which there are several shops, and on the other a place to sell clothes. It is not unlike the royal exchange in London.

The admiralty office is a house which belonged formerly to the princes of Orange. The arsenal for their men of war is in the harbour. This is a very handsome building, 200 feet long and 22 broad. The ground floor is filled with bullets; the second floor contains the arms and cordage; the third their sails, pulleys, flags, &c. This arsenal contains a great many curiosities; among the rest an Indian canoe brought from the straits of Davis, and a conservatory of water on the top of the house that holds 1600 tons of water, which may be distributed in case of fire into 16 different parts by leaden pipes. Hard by this edifice you see the dock or yard where they build their men of war. The dock is 508 feet long, and contiguous to it are houses for lodging the ship carpenters. The dock is plentifully supplied with every thing necessary for the construction of ships.

The East India Company occupy a large building divided into several offices or apartments. In some of these they have great stores of packed goods, and likewise a room with all sorts of drugs, tea, wax, ambergris, and musk. Here they have a magazine full of medicaments for surgeons chests, to furnish the Company's ships and garrisons in the Indies; as also large large magazines of nutmegs, cloves, mace, and cinnamon. In the court yard there is a guard chamber, where every night the housekeeper has a watch; and on the other side of the gate there is a chemist, who with his men prepares medicines for the Indies; and adjoining to this court-yard is their warehouse and packhouse for pepper and grofs goods. In the new part of this city they have a magazine or palace, which may properly be called an arsenal. The ground on which this building stands is 2000 feet, and square every way, reckoning the moats or burgwall about it. The two rope-alleys are 1800 feet long, on the backside of which is a store of 500 large anchors besides small ones. In this arsenal they build the ships belonging to the Indian chamber of Amsterdam; for which reason they have all sorts of workhouses here for the artificers that serve the Company.

The academy called the Illustrious School, is likewise a very fine building. It was formerly a convent belonging to the nuns of St Agnes. Here they teach Latin, the oriental languages, theology, philosophy, history, &c. The lawyers and physicians have likewise their schools.

Besides these, there are several hospitals, or houses for orphans, for poor widows, for sick persons, and for mad people; all which are regulated with much prudence. The Raep-house, which was formerly a nunnery, is now a fort of workhouse for men that behave ill. They are commonly fet to fast or ralp Bradwood; and if they will not perform their task, they are put into a cellar which the water runs into, where if they do not almost constantly ply the pump, they run the risk of being drowned. There is likewise a spinhouse for debauched women, where they are obliged to spin wool, flax, and hemp, and do other work. All the hospitals are extremely neat, and richly adorned with pictures. They are maintained partly by voluntary contributions, which are raised by putting money into the poor's boxes fixed up all over the city; and partly by taxing all public diversions, as well at fairs as elsewhere. Likewise every person that passes through any of the gates at candle-light pays a penny for the same use. The charities are taken care of by certain officers called deacons. The governors are nominated by the magistrates out of the most considerable men in the city.

The common fort have places of diversion called Spiel houses, where there are music and dancing. They are much of the same kind as the hops which were so frequent about London. If strangers go there, they must take care not to make their addresses to a woman that is engaged to any other man.

There are two suburbs to this city; one at the gate of the regulars; and the other goes as far as Overtoon, a village a little way from Amsterdam, where boats which come from Leyden are rolled over land upon wooden rollers. There is likewise in this city an hospital for those that are infected with the plague; which was built in the year 1632, and has 360 windows.

This city is governed by a senate and council, which consists of 36 persons, called a Vroedhob, who enjoy their places for life; and when any of them dies, the remainder choose another in his stead. This senate elects deputies to be sent to the States of Holland, and appoints the chief magistrates of the city, called Burgomasters or Echevins, who are like our aldermen. The number is twelve; out of which some are chosen every year to execute the office, and are called Burgomasters-regent. Three of these are discharged every year, to make room for three others. One of the four is kept in to inform the new ones of the state of affairs, and also presides the three first months in the year, and the others three months each; so that when they are in this office, they may be compared to the lord mayor of the city of London. These alterations and appointments are made by their own body. They dispose of all inferior offices which become vacant during their regency. They have likewise the direction of all public works, which regard the safety, tranquillity, and embellishment of this city. The keys of the famous bank of this city are in the hands of these magistrates.

The college consists of nine burgomasters or echevins, who are judges in all criminal affairs, without appeal; but in civil causes they may appeal to the council of the province. There are two treasurers, a bailiff, and a penitentiary. The bailiff continues in his office three years; and searches after criminals, takes care to prosecute them, and sees their sentence executed. The penitentiary is the minister of the magistracy, is well versed in the laws, makes public harangues, and is the defender of the interests of the city. The city of Amsterdam contributes to the public income above 50,000 livres per day, besides the excise of beer, flesh, and corn; which in all amounts to above 1,600,000l. a-year. This is more than is paid by all the rest of the provinces put together; and yet Amsterdam bears but the fifth rank in the assembly of the states of Holland, with this distinction, that, whereas other cities send two members, this sends four.

The militia of Amsterdam is very considerable. They have 60 companies, each of which has from 200 to 300 men. Jews and Anabaptists are excluded from this service, not being admitted to bear arms; but they are obliged to contribute to the maintenance of the city-guard, which consists of 1400 soldiers; as also to the night-watch, who patrol about the streets and proclaim the hour. Besides these, there are trumpeters on every church steeple who sound every half hour; and if there happens a fire, they ring the fire-bell, and show where it is. The inhabitants have excellent contrivances to extinguish it speedily.

The trade of Amsterdam is prodigious; for almost the whole trade of the East India Company centres in this city, which besides carries on a commerce with all the rest of the world, insomuch that it may be called the magazine or storehouse of Europe. They import a vast deal of corn from the Baltic, not so much for present consumption, as to lay up against times of scarcity. The richest spices are entirely in the hands of the East India Company, who furnish all Europe therewith. They have vast quantities of military stores, with which they supply several nations; which is owing to their engrossing most of the iron-works on the Rhine and other great rivers that run into Holland. Such was the state of Amsterdam before the late revolution. Since that period, it has probably undergone considerable changes, as well in its internal government, as in its foreign connexions. The longitude of Amsterdam is 4° 30' E.; the latitude, 52° 25' N.

Tongataboo, is also the name of an island. Amsterdam in the South sea, said to have been discovered by Tafman a Dutch navigator. It was also visited by Captain Cook. Its greatest extent from east to west is about 21 miles, and from north to south about 13. It is broad at the east end, and runs taper towards the west, where it turns, and runs to a point due north. It is about six leagues to the west of Middleburgh. The shore is surrounded by a coral rock, and its most elevated parts are not above five or eight yards above the level of the sea. S. Lat. 21. 11. W. Long. 175. It is wholly laid out in plantations, in which are cultivated some of the richest productions of nature.

Here are bread-fruit, cocoa-nut trees, plantains, bananas, haddock, yams, and some other roots, sugar-canes, and a fruit like a nectarine, called by the natives fighega. There did not appear an inch of waste ground; the roads occupied no more space than was absolutely necessary; the fences did not take up above four inches each; and even these were not wholly lost, for in many grew some useful trees or plants; it was everywhere the same, change of place altered not the scene: nature, assisted by a little art, nowhere appeared with more splendour than on this island. Water is not so plentiful here as at the Society islands; but the chief pointed out a pool of fresh water unfilled, to supply the ships with that necessary article. Casuarinas, pandans, and wild fago palms, appear here with their various tints of green, and baringtonias as big as the loftiest oaks. The bread-fruit does not, however, thrive here with the same luxuriance as at the Society islands; the coral rock, which composes the basis of this spot, being much more thinly covered with mould.

Both men and women are of the common size of Europeans, and their colour is that of lightish copper; they are well-shaped, have regular features, are active, brisk, and lively. They have fine eyes, and in general good teeth, even to an advanced age. The women are the merriest creatures imaginable, and incessant talkers. In general they appear to be modest; although there was no want of those of a different stamp. Among the natives, who swam about the ship very vociferously, were a considerable number of women, who wanted in the water like amphibious creatures, and were easily persuaded to come on board perfectly naked; but none of them ventured to stay there after sunset, but returned to the shore to pass the night, like the greater part of the inhabitants, under the shade of the wild wood which lined the coast. There they lighted great fires, and were heard conversing almost the whole night. The hair of both sexes in general is black, but especially that of the women; both sexes wear it short, except a single lock on the top of the head, and a small quantity on each side. The men cut or shave their beards quite close; which operation they perform with two shells. The hair of many was observed to be burnt at the ends, and treated with a white powder, which was found, on examining it, to be lime made of shells or coral, which had corroded or burnt the hair; some made use of a blue powder, and others, both men and women, of an orange-coloured powder made of turmeric.

The dress of both sexes consists of a piece of cloth or matting wrapped round the waist, and hanging down below the knees. From the waists upwards they are generally naked; and it seems to be a custom to anoint these parts every morning. The practice of tattooing, or puncturing the skin, likewise prevails. The men are tattooed from the middle of the thigh to above the hips; the women have it only on their arms and fingers, and on those parts but very slightly. Their ornaments are amulets, necklaces, and bracelets, the bones, shells, and beads of mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, &c., which are worn by men as well as women. The women also wear on their fingers neat rings made of tortoiseshell, and pieces in their ears about the size of a small quill; but here ornaments are not commonly worn, though all have their ears pierced. They have also a curious apron, made of the cocoa-nut shell; and composed of a number of small pieces sewed together in such a manner as to form stars, half-moons, little squares, &c.; it is studded with beads and shells, and covered with red feathers, so as to have a pleasing effect. They make the same kind of cloth, and of the same materials, as at Otaheite, though they have not such a variety, nor do they make any so fine; but as they have a method of glazing it, it is more durable, and will resist rain for some time, which the other cloth would not. Their colours are black, brown, yellow, purple, and red; all made from vegetables. They make various sorts of matting, some of a very fine texture, which is generally used for clothing; and the thick and stronger sort serves to sleep upon, and to make sails for their canoes, &c. Among other useful utensils, they have various sorts of baskets, some made of the same materials as their mats, and others of the twisted fibres of cocoa-nuts. These are not only durable, but beautiful, being generally composed of different colours, and studded with beads made of shells or bones. They have many little nicknacks among them, which show that they neither want taste to design, nor skill to execute, whatever they take in hand. Their fishing implements are much the same as in the other islands: here was purchased a fish-net made like our casting nets, knit of very firm though flender threads.

Notwithstanding their friendly disposition, these people have very formidable weapons; some of their spears have many bars, and must be very dangerous weapons when they take effect. A large flat shell or breastplate was purchased, made of a roundish bone, white and polished like ivory, about 18 inches in diameter, which appeared to have belonged to an animal of the whale tribe.