OP NORTH CAROLINA. 141 



indifferent land, a thick air, and other inconven- 

 iences ; when backwards, near the mountains, 

 you meet with the richest soil, a sweet, thin air, 

 dry roads, pleasant small murmuring streams, and 

 several beneficial productions and species, which 

 are unknown in the European world. One part of 

 this country affords what the other is wholly a 

 stranger to. 



We have chalybeate waters of several tastes and 

 different qualities, some purge, others work by 

 the other enunctories. We have amongst the in- 

 habitants, a water that is inwardly, a great aper* 

 sive, and outwardly, cures ulcers, tetters and sores 

 by washing therewith. 



There has been a coal mine lately found near 

 the Mannakin town, above the falls of James riv- 

 er in Virginia, which proves very good, and is 

 used by the smiths for their forges ; and we need 

 not doubt of the same amongst us, towards the 

 heads of our rivers ; but the plenty of wood, which 

 is much the better fuel, makes us not inquisitive 

 after coal mines. Most of the French, who lived at 

 that town on James river, are removed to Trent 

 river, in North Carolina, where the rest were ex- 

 pected daily to come to them when I came away, 

 which was in August, 1708. They are much ta- 

 ken with the pleasantness of that country, and in- 

 deed are a very industrious people. At present, 

 they make very good linen cloth and thread, and 

 are very well versed in cultivating hemp and flax, 

 of both which they raise very considerable quan- 



