12 



niE HISTORY OF 



missioners of North Carolina, we embarked very early, which we could the 

 easier do, having no temptation to stay where we vi^ere. We shaped our 

 course along the south end of Knot's island, there being no passage open on 

 the north. Further still to the southward of us, we discovered two smaller 

 islands, that go by the names of Bell's and Church's isles. We also saw a 

 small New England sloop riding in the sound, a little to the south of our 

 course. She had come in at the new inlet, as all other vessels have done 

 since the opening of it. This navigation is a little difficult, and fit only for 

 vessels that draw no more than ten feet water. The trade hither is engrossed 

 by the saints of New England, who carry off a great deal of tobacco, without 

 troubling themselves with paying that impertinent duty of a penny a pound. 



It was just noon before we arrived at Coratuek inlet, which is now so shal- 

 low that the breakers fly over it with a horrible sound, and at the same time 

 afford a very wild prospect. On the north side of the inlet, the high land 

 terminated in a bluff point, from which a spit of land extended itself towards 

 tne south-east, full half a mile. The inlet lies between that spit and another 

 on the soutli of it, leaving an opening of not quite a mile, which at this day 

 is not practicable for any vessel whatsoever. And as shallow as it now is, it 

 continues to Mil up more and more, both the wind and waves rolling in the 

 sands from the eastern shoals. 



About two o'clock in the afternoon we were joined by two of the Carolina 

 commissioners, attended by Mr. Swan, their surveyor. The other two were 

 not quite so punctual, which was the more unlucky for us, because there 

 could be no sport till they came. These gentlemen, it seems, had the Caro- 

 lina commission in their keeping, notwithstanding which, they could not for- 

 bear paying too much regard to a proverb — fashionable in then- country — not 

 to make more haste than good speed. 



However, that we who were punctual might not spend our precious time 

 tinprofitably, we took the several bearings of the coast. We also surveyed 

 part of the adjacent high land, which had scarcely any trees growing upon it, 

 but cedars. Among the shrubs, we were showed here and there a bush of 

 Carolina tea called Japon, which is one species of the Phylarrea. This is an 

 evergreen, the leaves wdiereof have some resemblance to tea, but differ very 

 widely both in taste and flavour. We also found some few plants of the 

 spired leaf silk grass, which is likewise an evergreen, bearing on a lofty stem 

 a large cluster of flowers of a pale yellow. Of the leaves of this plant the 

 people thereabouts twist very strong cordage. 



A virtuoso might divert himself here very well, in picking up shells of va- 

 rious hue and figure, and amongst the rest, that species of conch shell which 

 the Indian peak is made of The extremities of these shells are blue and the 

 rest white, so that peak of both these colours are drilled out of one and the 

 same shell, serving the natives both for ornament and money, and are es- 

 teemed by them far beyond gold and silver. 



The cedars were of singular use to us in the absence of our tent, which 

 we had left with the rest of the baggage for fear of overloading the periaugas. 

 We made a circular hedge of the branches of this tree, wrought so close to- 

 gether as to fence us against the cold winds. We then kindled a rousing fire 

 in the centre of it, and lay round it, like so many knights templars. But, as 

 comfortable as this lodging was, the surveyors turned out about two in the 

 morning to try the variation by a meridian taken from the north star, and 

 found it to be somewhat less than three degrees west. 



The commissioners of the neighbouring colony came better provided for 

 the belly than the business. They brought not above two men along with 

 them that would put their hands to any thing but the kettle and the frying- 

 pan. These spent so much of their industry that way, that they had as little 

 spirit as inclination for work. 



