THE DIMDLXC LINK. J 7 



a hot country, it was wisely titrbidiltMi aiul inude an abuiiiiuation to tlie Jews, 

 who lived much in tlie same latitude w'itli Caroliiia. 



I Ith. We ordered tiie surveyors early to iheir business, who were blessed 

 with jiretty dry grounds lor three miles together. But they paid dear lor it 

 in the next two, consisting of one continued frightful pocoson, whicli no 

 creatures but those of the amphibious kind ever had ventured into before. 

 This filthy quagmire did in earnest put the men's courage to a trial, and 

 though I cannot say it made them lose their patience, yet they lost their 

 humour for joking. They kept their gravity like so many Spaniards, so that 

 a man might then have taken his opportunity to plunge up to the chin, with- 

 out danger of being laughed at. However, this unusual composure of coun- 

 tenance could not fairly be called complaining. Their day's work ended at 

 the mouth of Northern's creek, which empties itself into North-west river; 

 though we chose to quarter a little higher up the river, near Mossy point. 

 This we did for the convenience of an old house to shelter our persons and 

 baggage from the rain, which threatened us hard. We judged the thing right, 

 f(jr there fell a heavy shower in the night, tliat drove the most hardy of us 

 into the house. Though, indeed, our case was not much mended by retreat- 

 ing tliither, because that tenement having not long before been used as a 

 pork store, the moisture of the air dissolved the salt that lay scattered on the 

 floor, and made it as wet witliin doors as without. However, the swamps 

 and marshes we were lately accustomed to had made such beavers and 

 otters of us that nobody caught the least cold. We had encamped so early, 

 that we found time in tlie evening to walk near half a mile into the woods. 

 There we came upon a family of mulattoes that called themselves free, though 

 by the shyness of the master of the house, who took care to keep least in 

 sight, their, freedom seemed a little doubtful. It is cei'tain many slaves shelter 

 thenjselves in this obscure part of the w^orld, nor will any of their righteous 

 neighbours discover them. On the contrary, they find their account in set- 

 tling such fugitives on some out-of-the-way corner of their land, to raise 

 stocks for a mean and inconsiderable share, well knowing their condition 

 makes it necessary for them to submit to any terms. Nor were these worthy 

 borderers content to shelter runaway slaves, but debtors and criminals have 

 often met with the like indulgence. But if the government of North Carolina 

 has encouraged this unneighbourly policy in order to iiicrease their people, 

 it is no more than what ancient Rome did before them, which was made a 

 city of refuge for all debtors and fugitives, and from that wretched beginning 

 grew up in tin:ie to be mistress of a great part of the world. And, consider- 

 ing how fortune delights in bringing great things out of small, who knows 

 but Carolina may, one time or other, come to be tlie seat of some other great 

 empire ] 



1 2th. Every thing had been so soaked with the rain, that we were obliged 

 to lie by a good part of the morning and dry them. However, that time was 

 not lo.st, because it gave the surveyors an opportunity of platting oft" their 

 work and taking the course of the river. It likewise helped to recruit the 

 spirits of the men, who had been a little harassed with yesterday's march. 

 Notwithstanding all this, we cro.ssed the river before noon, and advanced our 

 line tiiree miles. It was not possible to make more of it, by reason good 

 part of the way was either marsh or pocoson. The line cut two or three 

 plantations, leaving part of them in Virginia, and part of them in Carolina. 

 This was a case that happened frequently, to the great inconvenience of the 

 owners, who were therefore obliged to take out two patents and pay for a 

 new survey in each government. In the evening, we took up our quarters 

 in Mr. Ballance's pasture, a little above the bridge built over North-west 

 river. There we discharged the two periaugas, wliich in truth had been 



