THE DIVIDING LINE. ak 



niiny, or Tuskaroocla creek, because one of tliat nation had I;een killed there- 

 abouts, and liis body thrown into tlie creek. 



Ou)- people had the fortune to Idll a brace of does, one of wliich we pre- 

 sented to the Carolina gentlemen, wlio were glad to partake of the bounty of 

 Providence, at the same time that they sneered at us for depfnding- upon it. 



4th. We hurried away the surveyors about nine this morning, who extend- 

 ed the line seven miles and a hundred and sixty poles, notwithstanding the 

 ground was exceedingly uneven. At the distance of five miles we forded a 

 stream to which we gave the name of Blue wing creek, because of the great 

 number of those fowls that then frequented it. About two and a half miles 

 beyond that, we came upon Sugar-tree creek, so called from the many trees 

 of that kind that grow upon it. By tapping this tree, in the first warm wea- 

 ther in February, one may get from twenty to forty gallons of liquor, very 

 sweet to the taste and agreeable to the stomach. This may be boiled into 

 molasses first, and afterwards into very good sugar, allowing about ten gal- 

 lons of the liquor to make a pound. There is no doubt, too, that a very line 

 spirit may be distilled from the molasses, at least as good as rum. The sugar 

 tree delights only in rich ground, where it grows \ery tall, and by the soft- 

 ness and sponginess of the wood should be a quick grower. Near this creek 

 we discovered likewise several spice trees, the leaves of which are fragrant, 

 and the berries they bear are black when dry, and of a hot taste, not much 

 unlike pepper. The low grounds upon the creek are very wide, sometimes 

 on one side, sometimes on the other; though most commonly upon the oppo- 

 site shore the high land advances close to the bank, only on the noiih side of 

 the line it spreads itself into a great breadth of rich low ground on both sides 

 the creek for four miles together, as far as this stream runs into Hico river, 

 whereof I shall presently make mention. One of our men spied three buffa- 

 loes, but his piece being loaded only with goose-shot, he was able to make no 

 effectual impression on their thick hides ; however, this disappointment was 

 made up by a brace of bucks, and as many wild turkeys, killed by the rest 

 of the company. Thus Providence was very bountiful to our endeavours, 

 never disappointing those that faithfully rely upon it, and pray heartily for 

 their daily bread. 



5th. This day we met with such uneven grounds, and thick undet woods, 

 that with all our industry we were able to advance the line but four miles and 

 three hundred and twelve poles. In this small distance it intersected a large 

 stream four times, which our Indian at first mistook for the south branch of 

 Roanoke river ; but, discovering his error soon after, he assured us it was a 

 river called Hicootomony, or Turkey-buzzard river, from the great number 

 of those unsavoury birds that roost on the tall trees gi'owing near its banks. 



Early in the afternoon, to our very great surprise, the commissioners of 

 Carolina acquainted us with their resolution to return home. , This declara- 

 tion of theirs seemed the more abrupt, because they had not been so kind as 

 to prepare us, by the least hint, of their intention to desert us. We therefore 

 let them understand they appeared to us to abandon the business they came 

 about with too much precipitation, this being but the fifteenth day since we 

 came out the last time. But, although we were to be so unhappy as to lose 

 the assistance of their great abilities, yet we, who were concerned for Vir- 

 ginia, determined, by the grace of God, not to do our work by halves, but, all 

 deserted as we were like to be, should think it our duty to push the line quite 

 to the mountains ; and if their government should refuse to be bound by so 

 much of the line as was run without their commissioners, yet at least it 

 would bind Virginia, and stand as a direction how far his majesty's lands ex- 

 tend to the southward. In short, these gentlemen were positive, and the most 

 we could agree upon was to subscribe plots of our work as far as we had 



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