G14 TRA.NSPORTATIOX IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 



have been rendered available for their construction and maintenance. 

 The road law was only parallel to the militia law, which placsd in 

 service every white man capable of bearing arms, and settled, by the 

 place of his residence, to what division, brigade, regimant, battalion and 

 company he should belong. 



The facilities for water transportation were so good, and the colonists 

 had become so habituated to their use, that the trade with the distant 

 tribes of Indians probably occasioned the only land traffic of any im- 

 portance up to the middle of the eighteenth century. It was in allusion 

 to this that Governor Archdale, in 1707, wrote : " Charlestown trades 

 near one thousand miles into the continent." Muskets, powder, lead, 

 woolen cloth, tools, and iron ware were the principal articles supplied to 

 the Indians ; frontier trading stations were established at Savana Town 

 and old Apalachicola Town, both on Savannah river ; at Wineau, near 

 the Waccamaw Indians ; at Congaree Fort, in South Carolina; Altamaha 

 Fort, in Georgia, and Forts Palochuclas, Moore, and Charlotte, on the 

 Savannah river. Later, in 1762, was established the station at Keowee, 

 Fort Prince George, for trading with the Cherokee Indians. Beyond the 

 frontiers, the transportation of the " goods, wares and merchandises " 

 into the Indian country was effected by means of pack horses and Indian 

 " burtheners," and these brought back the skins and furs which, with 

 Indian slaves, constituted the returns in the trade. There was water 

 transportation between Charleston and all the trading posts except Keo- 

 wee, and from the latter to Fort Charlotte was not a long way. It ap- 

 pears, however, that at intervals trains of pack horses and some vehicles 

 passed directly between Charleston and Keowee, but by what route is not 

 certain. 



The magnitude and growth of the Indian trade are partly shown 

 by the export of deer skins, which, according to official records were, 

 In 1710, 70,000 deer skins. 

 In 1731, 250,000 deer skins. 

 In 1748, 600,000 deer skins. 



These 600,000 deer skins were valued at £36,000 sterling, about 

 §180,000 gold, or thirty cents each. 



The Indian trade was encouraged by the Provincial government, but 

 it was, also, strictly regulated, with a view always to preserving the con- 

 fidence and friendship of the tribes surrounding the colony. Among the 

 re5trictions imposed upon traders was one that they should employ no 

 negroes, even in rowing the " perriagos " between Charleston and the 

 trading stations ; and another, that they should bring no free Indians 

 into the settlements. 



The " burtheners," therefore, could not be used within the frontier. 



