THE DIVIDIXG T,1NE. 43 



WO were content to tako only tlic otlier, whose hunlin.cf name was Dear-skin. 

 This Tfldian, either by his skill or good luck, supplied us plentifully all the 

 wa}'^ with meat, seldom discharjjing his piece in vain. By his assistance, 

 therefore, we were able to keep our men to their business, without suQering 

 them to straggle about the woods, on pretence of furnishing us with neces- 

 sary food. 



oOth. It had rained all night, and made every thing so wet, that our survey- 

 ors could not get to their work before noon. They could therefore measure no 

 more than four miles and two hundred and twenty poles, which, according to the 

 best information we could get, was near as high as the uppermost inhalMtant 

 at that time. We crossed the Indian trading path above-mentioned about a mile 

 from our camp, and a mile beyond tliat forded Haw-tree creek. The woods 

 we passed through had all the tokens of sterility, except a small poisoned 

 lield, on which grew no tree bigger than a slender sapling. The larger trees 

 had been destroyed, .either by fire or caterpillars, which is often the case in 

 the upland woods, and the places where such desolation happens are called 

 poisoned fields. We took up our quarters upon a branch of Great creek, 

 where there was tolerable good grass for the poor horses. These poor ani- 

 mals having now got beyond the latitude of corn, were obliged to shift as 

 well as they could for themselves. 



On our way the men roused a bear, which being the first we had seen 

 since we came out, the poor beast had many pursuers. Several persons con- 

 tended for the credit of killing him : though he was so poor he was not 

 worth the powder. This was some disappointment to our woodsmen, who 

 commonly prefer the flesh of bears to every kind of venison. There is some- 

 thing indeed peculiar to this animal, namely, that its fat is very firm, and may 

 be eaten plentifully without rising in the stomach. 1 he paw (which, when 

 stripped of the hair, looks like a human foot,) is accounted a delicious morsel 

 by all who are not shocked at the ungracious resemblance it bears to a 

 Inunan foot. 



October 1st. There was a white frost this morning on the ground, occa- 

 sioned by a north-west wind, which stood oiu' fiiend in dispersing all aguish 

 damps, and making the air wholesome at the same time that it made it cold. 

 Encouraged therefore by the weather, our surveyors got to work early, and 

 by the benefit of clear woods, and level ground, drove the line twelve miles 

 and twelve poles. 



At a small distance from our camp we crossed Great creek, and about 

 seven miles further Nut-bush creek, so called from the many hazel-trees grow- 

 ing upon it. By good luck many branches of these creeks were full of reeds, 

 to the great comfort of our horses. Near five miles from thence we encamp- 

 ed on a branch that runs into Nut-bush creek, where those reeds flourished 

 more than ordinary. The land we marched over was for the most part 

 broken and stony, and in some places covered over with thickets almost im- 

 penetrable. At night the surveyors, taking advantage of a clear sky, made 

 a third trial of the variation, and found it still something less than three de- 

 grees, so that it did not diminish by advancing towards the west, or by 

 approaching the mountains, nor yet by increasing our distance from the sea ; 

 but remained much the same we had found it at Coratuck inlet. One of our 

 Indians killed a large fawn, which was very welcome, though, like Hudibras' 

 horse, it had hardly flesh enough to cover its bones. In the low grounds the 

 Carolina gentlemen showed us another plant, which they said was "used in 

 their country to cure the bite of the rattle-snake. It put forth several leaves 

 in figure like a heart, and was clouded so like the common Assa-rabacca, that 

 I conceived it to be of tliat family. 



2d. So soon as the horses could be f jund, we hurried away the surveyors. 



