THE DIVIpING LINE 39 



Roanoke. This wretclied machine, at first setting out, met with a very rude 

 cheque, tliat brolce a case-bottle of clierry brandy in so unlucky a manner 

 that not one precious drop was saved. This melancholy beginning foreboded 

 an unprosperous journey, and too quick a return, to the persons most imme- 

 diately concerned. 



In our way we crossed Fountain creek, which runs into Meherrin fiver, 

 so called from the disaster of an unfortunate Indian trader who had formerly 

 been drowned in it, and, like Icarus, left liis name to that fatal stream. We 

 took up our quarters on the plantation of John Hill, where we pitched our 

 tent, with design to tarry till such time as the surveyors could work their 

 way to us. 



22d. This being Sunday, we had an opportunity of resting from our la- 

 bours. The expectation of such^a novelty as a sermon in these parts 

 brought together a numerous congregation. When the sermon was over, 

 our chaplain did" his part towards making eleven of them Christians. 



Several of our men had intermitting fevers, but were soon restored to 

 tlieir health again by proper remedies. Our chief medicine was dogwood 

 bark, which we used, instead of that of Peru, with good success. Indeed, it 

 was given in lai'ger quantity, but then, to make the patients amends, they 

 swallowed much fewer doses. 



In tlie afternoon our provision horses arrived safe in the camp. They had 

 met with very heavy rains, but, thank God, not a single biscuit received the 

 least damage thereby. We were furnished by the neighbours with very 

 lean cheese and very fat mutton, upon which occasion it will not be improper 

 to draw one conclusion, from the evidence of North Carolina, that sheep 

 would thrive much better in the woods than in pasture land, provided a care- 

 ful shepherd were employed to keep them from straying, and, by the help of 

 dogs, to protect them also from the wolves. 



23d. The surveyors came to us at night, though they had not brought the 

 line so far' as our camp, for which reason we thought it needless to go for- 

 ward till they came up with us. They could run no more than four miles and 

 five poles, because the ground was every where grown up with thick bushes. 

 The soil here appeared to be very good, though much broken betwixt Foun- 

 tain creek and Roanoke river. The line crossed Meherrin river the fifth and 

 last time, nor were our people sorry to part wnth a stream the meanders of 

 which had given them so much trouble. 



Our hunters brought us four wild 1?tirkeys, which at that season began to 

 be fat and very delicious, especially the hens. These birds seem to be of the 

 bustard kind, and fly heavily. Some of them are exceedingly large, and weigh 

 upwards of forty pounds ; nay, some bold historians venture to say, upwards 

 of fifty pounds. They run very fast, stretching forth their wings all the time, 

 like the ostrich, by way of sails to quicken their speed. They roost commonly 

 upon very high trees, standing near some river or creek, and ai'e so stupified 

 at the sight of fire, that if you make a blaze in the night near the place 

 where they roost, you may fire upon them several times successively, before 

 they will dare to fly away. Their spurs are so sharp and strong, that the 

 Indians used formerly to point their arrows with them, though now they 

 point them with a sharp white stone. In the spring the turkey-cocks begin 

 to gobble, which is the language wherein they make love. 



It rained very hard in the night, with a violent storm of thunder and light- 

 ning, which obliged us to trench in our tent all round, to carry off the water 

 that fell upon it. 



24th. So soon as the men could dry their blankets, we sent out the survey- 

 ors, who now meeting with more favourable grounds, advanced the Ifne seven 

 miles and eighty-two poles. However, the commissioners did not think proper 

 to decamp that day, believing they might easily overtake the surveyors the 



