THE DIVIDING LINE. 25 



could Iiave made. In tlie mean time the commissioners could get no news of 

 them from any ortlicir visiters, wlio assemjjled from every point of tiie compass. 

 But the good landlord had visiters of another kind while we were there, that 

 is to say, some industrious masters of siiips, that lay in Nansemond river. 

 These worthy commanders came to bespeak tobacco from these parts to 

 make up their loadings, in contem})t of tlie Virginia law, whicli positively for- 

 bade their taking in any made in North Carolina. Nor was this restraint at 

 all unreasonable ; because they have no law in Carolina, either to mend the 

 quality or lessen the quantity of tobacco, or so much as to prevent the turn- 

 ing out of seconds, all which cases have been provided against by the laws 

 of Virginia. Wherefore, thei-e can be no reason why the inhabitants of that 

 province should have the same advantage of shipping their tobacco in our 

 parts, when they will by no means submit to the same restrictions that we do. 

 22d. Our patrol happened not to go far enough to the northward this 

 morning, if they had, the people in the Dismal might have heard the report of 

 their guns. For this reason they returned without any tidings, which threw 

 us into a great though unnecessary perplexity. This was now the ninth day 

 since they entered into that inhospitable swamp, and consequently we had 

 reason to believe their provisions were quite spent. We knew they worked 

 hard, and therefore would eat heartily, so long as they had wherewithal to 

 recruit their spirits, not imagining the swamp so wide as they found it. Had 

 we been able to guess where the line would come out, we would have sent 

 men to meet them with a fresh supply ; but as we could know nothing of 

 that, and as we had neither compass nor surveyor to guide a messenger on 

 such an errand, we were unwilling to expose him to no purpose; therefore, 

 all we were able to do for them, in so great an extremity, was to recommend 

 them to a merciful Providence. However long we might think the time, yet 

 we were cautious of showing our uneasiness, for fear of mortifying our land- 

 lord. He had done his best for us, and therefore we were unwilling he should 

 think us dissatisfied with our entertainment. In the midst of our concern, we 

 were most agreeably surprised, just after dinner, with the news that the Dis- 

 malites were all safe. These blessed tidings were brought to us by Mr. Swan, 

 the Carolina surveyor, who came to us in a very tattered condition. After 

 very short salutations, we got about him as if he had been a Hottentot, and 

 began to inquire into his adventures. He gave us a detail of their uncom- 

 fortable voyage through the Dismal, and told us, particularly, they had pur- 

 sued their journey early that morning, encouraged by the good omen of seeing 

 the crows fly over their heads ; that, after an houj-'s march over very rotten 

 ground, they, on a sudden, began to find themselves among tall pines, that 

 grew in the water, which in many places was knee deep. This pine swamp, 

 into which that of Coropeak drained itself, extended near a mile in breadth ;'• 

 and though it was exceedingly wet, yet it was much harder at bottom than 

 the rest of the swamp ; that about ten in the morning they recovered firm 

 land, which they embraced with as much pleasure as shipwrecked wretches 

 do the shore. After these honest adventurers had congratulated each other's 

 deliverance, their first inquiry was for a good house, where they might satisfy 

 the importunity of their stomachs. Their good genius directed them to Mr. 

 Brinkley's, who dwells a little to the southward of the line. This man began 

 immediately to be very inquisitive, but they declared they had no spirits to 

 answer questions, till after dinner. •' But pray, gentlemen," said he, " answer 

 me one question at least : what shall we get for your dinner !" To which 

 they replied, " No matter what, so it be but enough." He kindly supplied 

 their wants as soon as possible,* and by the strength of that refreshment they 

 made a shift to come to us in the evening, to tell their own story. They all 



