iv Preface. 



I ivill not pretend to take upon me to decide the Controversy, 

 being altogether a stranger to the certainty of the Fact. 



The Writings of many Learned Men may he seen on this 

 Head, ivho after having searched all the Records of Antiquity, 

 shew much Erudiction, hut nothing of certainty, concerning 

 the Antient Affairs of America. I know the Memory of a 

 Deluge is preserved amongst these People, hut whether it is 

 to he understood of the universal Flood, or the Inundation 

 of some particular Provinces, I leave it to others to dis- 

 course upon, for I am luilling to lay aside all manner of 

 Conjectures of this Nature, having enough of Truth to treat 

 of. 



The several Climates of the World have influenced the 

 People with Natures very different from each other, and 

 even their different Speeches hear some proportion of 

 Analogic with their Natures, as is to he seen amongst the 

 Whites, Indians, and Blacks, that are to he met with in this 

 part of the World. 



But luaveing these Discourses, we here present the Woj^ld 

 with a Natural-History of North-Carolina, it heing a com- 

 pendious Collection, of most things yet known in that part 

 of the World; wherein I have laid down every thing with 

 Impartiality and Truth, in the most plain and easie Terms, 

 which indeed is the Duty of every Writer, and preferable 

 to a more eloquent Stile, accompariied with many Falsities. 



I have therefore endeavour d in the following Sheets to 

 give as faitltful and exact Account of Carolina, as discoveries 



yet 



