At The House We Lay At, There Was
Very Good Entertainment Of Venison, Turkies, And Bears; And Which Is Customary
Amongst the Indians, the Queen had a Daughter by a former Husband,
who was the beautifullest Indian I ever saw,
And had an Air of Majesty
with her, quite contrary to the general Carriage of the Indians.
She was very kind to the English, during our Abode, as well as
her Father and Mother.
{Thursday.}
This Morning, most of our Company having some Inclination
to go straight away for Virginia, when they left this Place;
I and one more took our leaves of them, resolving (with God's Leave)
to see North-Carolina, one of the Indians setting us in our way.
The rest being indifferent which way they went, desired us, by all means,
to leave a Letter for them, at the Achonechy-Town. The Indian
that put us in our Path, had been a Prisoner amongst the Sinnagers;
but had out-run them, although they had cut his Toes, and half his Feet away,
which is a Practice common amongst them. They first raise the Skin,
then cut away half the Feet, and so wrap the Skin over the Stumps,
and make a present Cure of the Wounds. This commonly disables them
from making their Escape, they being not so good Travellers as before,
and the Impression of their Half-Feet making it easy to trace them.
However, this Fellow was got clear of them, but had little Heart
to go far from home, and carry'd always a Case of Pistols in his Girdle,
besides a Cutlass, and a Fuzee. Leaving the rest of our Company
at the Indian-Town, we travell'd, that day, about 20 Miles,
in very cold, frosty Weather; and pass'd over two pretty Rivers,
something bigger than Heighwaree, but not quite so stony. We took
these two Rivers to make one of the Northward Branches of Cape-Fair River,
but afterwards found our Mistake.
{Friday.}
The next day, we travell'd over very good Land, but full of Free-Stone,
and Marble, which pinch'd our Feet severely. We took up our Quarters
in a sort of Savanna-Ground, that had very few Trees in it.
The Land was good, and had several Quarries of Stone, but not loose,
as the others us'd to be.
{Saturday.}
Next Morning, we got our Breakfasts of Parch'd Corn, having nothing but that
to subsist on for above 100 Miles. All the Pine-Trees were vanish'd,
for we had seen none for two days. We pass'd through a delicate rich Soil
this day; no great Hills, but pretty Risings, and Levels, which made
a beautiful Country. We likewise pass'd over three Rivers this day;
the first about the bigness of Rocky River, the other not much differing
in Size. Then we made not the least Question, but we had pass'd over
the North-West Branch of Cape-Fair, travelling that day above 30 Miles.
We were much taken with the Fertility and Pleasantness of the Neck of Land
between these two Branches, and no less pleas'd, that we had pass'd the River,
which us'd to frighten Passengers from fording it. At last,
determining to rest on the other side of a Hill, which we saw before us;
when we were on the Top thereof, there appear'd to us such another delicious,
rapid Stream, as that of Sapona, having large Stones,
about the bigness of an ordinary House, lying up and down the River.
As the Wind blew very cold at N.W. and we were very weary, and hungry,
the Swiftness of the Current gave us some cause to fear; but, at last,
we concluded to venture over that Night. Accordingly, we stripp'd,
and with great Difficulty, (by God's Assistance) got safe
to the North-side of the famous Hau-River, by some called Reatkin;
the Indians differing in the Names of Places, according to their
several Nations. It is call'd Hau-River, from the Sissipahau Indians,
who dwell upon this Stream, which is one of the main Branches of Cape-Fair,
there being rich Land enough to contain some Thousands of Families;
for which Reason, I hope, in a short time, it will be planted.
This River is much such another as Sapona; both seeming to run a vast way
up the Country. Here is plenty of good Timber, and especially,
of a Scaly-bark'd Oak; And as there is Stone enough in both Rivers,
and the Land is extraordinary Rich, no Man that will be content
within the Bounds of Reason, can have any grounds to dislike it.
And they that are otherwise, are the best Neighbours, when farthest of.
{Sunday.}
As soon as it was day, we set out for the Achonechy-Town,
it being, by Estimation, 20 Miles off, which, I believe, is pretty exact.
We were got about half way, (meeting great Gangs of Turkies) when we saw,
at a Distance, 30 loaded Horses, coming on the Road, with four or five Men,
on other Jades, driving them. We charg'd our Piece, and went up to them:
Enquiring, whence they came from? They told us, from Virginia.
The leading Man's Name was Massey, who was born about Leeds
in Yorkshire. He ask'd, from whence we came? We told him.
Then he ask'd again, Whether we wanted any thing that he had? telling us,
we should be welcome to it. We accepted of Two Wheaten Biskets,
and a little Ammunition. He advised us, by all means,
to strike down the Country for Ronoack, and not think of Virginia,
because of the Sinnagers, of whom they were afraid, tho' so well arm'd,
and numerous. They persuaded us also, to call upon one Enoe Will,
as we went to Adshusheer, for that he would conduct us safe
among the English, giving him the Character of a very faithful Indian,
which we afterwards found true by Experience. The Virginia-Men
asking our Opinion of the Country we were then in?
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