LAWSON'S HISTORY 53 



but mostly by the small pox, which hath often 

 visited them, sweeping away whole towns, occa- 

 sioned by the immoderate government of them- 

 selves in their sickness, as I have mentioned be- 

 fore, treating of the Sewees. Neither do I know 

 any savages that have traded with the English but 

 what have been great losers by this distemper. 



We found here good store of chinkapin nuts, 

 which they gather in winter great quantities of, 

 drying them, so keep these nuts in great baskets 

 for their use. Likewise hickerie nuts, which they 

 beat betwixt two great stones, then sift them, so 

 thicken their venison broth therewith, the small 

 shells precipitating to the -bottom of the pot, 

 whilst the kernel, in form of flower, mixes it with 

 the liquor, both these nuts made into meal makes 

 a curious soup, either with clear water, or in any 

 meat broth. 



From the nation of Indians, until such times as 

 you come to the Turkeiruros in ^NTorth Caroliifa, 

 you will see no long moss upon the trees, which 

 space of ground contains above five hundred miles. 

 This seeming miracle in nature is occasioned by 

 the highness of the land, it being dry and health- 

 ful ; for though this most bears a seed in a sort of 

 a small cod, yet it is generated in or near low 

 swampy grounds. 



The Congerees are kind and affable to the Eng- 

 lish. The Queen being very kind, giving us what 

 rarities her cabin afforded, as loblolly made with 

 Indian corn, and dried peaches. These Congerees 



