We Got Nothing Amongst Them But Corn,
Flesh Being Not Plentiful, By Reason Of The Great Number Of Their People.
For tho' they are expert Hunters, yet they are too populous for one Range;
which makes Venison very scarce to
What it is amongst other Indians,
that are fewer; no Savages living so well for Plenty, as those near the Sea.
I saw, amongst these, a Hump-back'd Indian, which was the only crooked one
I ever met withal. About two a Clock, we reach'd one of their Towns,
in which there was no body left, but an Old Woman or two; the rest being gone
to their Hunting-Quarters. We could find no Provision at that Place.
We had a Tuskeruro that came in company with us, from the lower Quarter,
who took us to his Cabin, and gave us what it afforded, which was Corn-meat.
{Thursday.}
This Day, we pass'd through several Swamps, and going not above a dozen Miles,
came to a Cabin, the Master whereof us'd to trade amongst the English.
He told us, If we would stay Two Nights, he would conduct us safe to them,
himself designing, at that time, to go and fetch some Rum;
so we resolved to tarry for his Company. During our Stay,
there happen'd to be a Young Woman troubled with Fits.
The Doctor who was sent for to assist her, laid her on her Belly,
and made a small Incision with Rattle-Snake-Teeth; then laying his Mouth
to the Place, he suck'd out near a Quart of black conglutinated Blood,
and Serum. Our Landlord gave us the Tail of a Bever,
which was a choice Food. {Friday.} There happen'd also to be
a Burial of one of their Dead, which Ceremony is much the same with
that of the Santees, who make a great Feast at the Interment of their Corps.
The small Runs of Water hereabout, afford great Plenty of Craw-Fish,
full as large as those in England, and nothing inferior in Goodness.
{Saturday.}
Saturday Morning, our Patron, with Enoe Will, and his Servant,
set out with us, for the English. In the Afternoon, we ferried
over a River, (in a Canoe) called by the Indians, Chattookau,
which is the N.W. Branch of Neus-River. We lay in the Swamp,
where some Indians invited us to go to their Quarters,
which some of our Company accepted, but got nothing extraordinary,
except a dozen Miles March out of their Way: The Country here
is very thick of Indian Towns and Plantations.
{Sunday.}
We were forced to march, this day, for Want of Provisions. About 10 a Clock,
we met an Indian that had got a parcel of Shad-Fish ready barbaku'd.
We bought 24 of them, for a dress'd Doe-Skin, and so went on,
through many Swamps, finding, this day, the long ragged Moss on the Trees,
which we had not seen for above 600 Miles. In the Afternoon,
we came upon the Banks of Pampticough, about 20 Miles above
the English Plantations by Water, though not so far by Land.
The Indian found a Canoe, which he had hidden, in which
we all got over, and went about six Miles farther. We lay, that Night,
under two or three Pieces of Bark, at the Foot of a large Oak.
There fell abundance of Snow and Rain in the Night, with much
Thunder and Lightning.
{Monday.}
Next Day, it clear'd up, and it being about 12 Miles to the English,
about half-way we passed over a deep Creek, and came safe
to Mr. Richard Smith's, of Pampticough-River, in North-Carolina;
where being well receiv'd by the Inhabitants, and pleas'd with
the Goodness of the Country, we all resolv'd to continue.
FINIS.
A
DESCRIPTION
of
North-CAROLINA.
{Carolina how bounded.}
The Province of Carolina is separated from Virginia by a due West-Line,
which begins at Currituck-Inlet, in 36 Degrees, 30 Minutes,
of Northern-Latitude, and extends indefinitely to the Westward,
and thence to the Southward, as far as 29 Degrees; which is a vast Tract
of Sea-Coast. But having already treated, as far as is necessary,
concerning South-Carolina, I shall confine myself, in the ensuing Sheets,
to give my Reader a Description of that Part of the Country only,
which lies betwixt Currituck and Cape-Fair, and is almost 34 Deg. North.
And this is commonly call'd North Carolina.
This Part of Carolina is faced with a Chain of Sand-Banks,
which defends it from the Violence and Insults of the Atlantick Ocean;
by which Barrier, a vast Sound is hemm'd in, which fronts
the Mouths of the Navigable and Pleasant Rivers of this Fertile Country,
and into which they disgorge themselves. {Inlets.} Thro' the same
are Inlets of several Depths of Water. Some of their Channels
admit only of Sloops, Brigantines, small Barks, and Ketches;
and such are Currituck, Ronoak, and up the Sound above Hatteras:
Whilst others can receive Ships of Burden, as Ocacock, Topsail-Inlet,
and Cape-Fair; as appears by my Chart.
{First Colony of Carolina.}
The first Discovery and Settlement of this Country was by the Procurement
of Sir Walter Raleigh, in Conjunction with some publick-spirited Gentlemen
of that Age, under the Protection of Queen Elizabeth;
for which Reason it was then named Virginia, being begun on that Part
called Ronoak-Island, where the Ruins of a Fort are to be seen at this day,
as well as some old English Coins which have been lately found;
and a Brass-Gun, a Powder-Horn, and one small Quarter deck-Gun,
made of Iron Staves, and hoop'd with the same Metal; which Method
of making Guns might very probably be made use of in those Days,
for the Convenience of Infant-Colonies.
{Hatteras Indians.}
A farther Confirmation of this we have from the Hatteras Indians,
who either then lived on Ronoak-Island, or much frequented it.
These tell us, that several of their Ancestors were white People,
and could talk in a Book, as we do; the Truth of which is confirm'd
by gray Eyes being found frequently amongst these Indians, and no others.
They value themselves extremely for their Affinity to the English,
and are ready to do them all friendly Offices.
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