THE DiVlDlIfG LINE. 55 



We marked out our quarters on the banks of a purling stream, which we 

 called Cascade creek, by reason of the multitude of water-falls that are in it. 

 But, different from all other falls that ever I met with, the rocks over which 

 the water rolled were soft, and would split easily into broad flakes, very pro- 

 per for pavement ; and some fragments of it seemed soft enough for hones, 

 and the grain fine enough. Near our camp we found a prickly shrub, rising 

 about a foot from the ground, something like that which bears the barberry, 

 though mvich smaller. The leaves had a fresh, agreeable smell, and I am 

 persuaded the ladies would be apt to fancy a tea made of them, provided they 

 were told how far it came, and at the same time were obliged to buy it very 

 dear. About a mile to the south-west of our camp rose a regular mount, that 

 commanded a full prospect of the mountains, and an extensive view of the 

 flat country. But being, with respect to the high mountains, no more than a 

 pimple, we called it by that name. Presently after sunset we discovered a 

 great light towards the west, too bright for a fire, and more resembling the 

 aurora borealis. This, all our woodsmen told us, was a common appear- 

 ance in the high lands, and generally foreboded bad weather. Their explana- 

 tion happened to be exactly true, for in the night we had a violent gale of wind, 

 accompanied with smart hail, that rattled frightfully amongst the trees, though 

 it was not large enough to do us any harm. 



We crossed Cascade creek over a ledge of smooth rocks, and then scuffled 

 through a mighty thicket, at least three miles long. The whole was one 

 continued tract of rich high land, the woods whereof had been burnt not long 

 before. It was then overgrown with saplings of oak, hickory and locust, 

 interlaced with grape vines. In this fine land, however, we met with no water, 

 till at the end of three miles we luckily came upon a crystal stream, which, 

 like some lovers of conversation, discovered every thing committed to its faith- 

 less bosom. Then we came upon a piece of lich low ground, covered with large 

 trees, of the extent of half a mile, which made us fancy ourselves not far 

 from the river ; though after that we ascended gently to higher land, with no 

 other trees growing upon it except butter- wood, which is one species of white 

 maple. This being a dead level, without the least declivity to carry off the 

 water, was moist in many places, and produced abundance of grass. All 

 our w^oodsmen call these flat grounds high land ponds, and in their trading 

 journeys are glad to halt at such places for several days together, to recruit 

 their jaded horses, especially in the winter months, when there is little or no 

 gi'ass to be found in other places. This high land pond extended above two 

 miles, our palfries snatching greedily at the tufts of grass, as they went along. 

 After we got over this level, we descended some stony hills for about half a 

 mile, and then came upon a large branch of the river, which we christened 

 the Irvin, in honour of our learned professor. This river we forded with much 

 difficulty and some danger, by reason of the hollow spaces betwixt the 

 rocks, into which our horses plunged almost every step. The Irvin runs into 

 the Dan about four miles to the southward of the line, and seemed to roll 

 down its waters from the N. N. W. in a very full and limpid stream, and the 

 murmur it made, in tumbling over the rocks, caused the situation to appear very 

 romantic, and had almost made some of the company poetical, though they drank 

 nothing but water. We encamped on a pleasant hill, overlooking the liver, 

 which seemed to be deep every where except just where we forded. In the 

 mean time, neither that chain of rocks, nor any other that we could observe 

 in this stream, was so uninterrupted, but that there were several breaks where 

 a canoe, or even a moderate flat-bottomed boat, might shear clear. Nor 

 have we reason to believe there are any other falls (except the great ones, 

 thirty miles below Moniseep ford) that reach quite across, so as to interrupt 

 the navigation for small craft. And I have been informed that, even at those 



