56 THE HISTOIiy OF 



great falls, the blowing up a few rocks would open a passage at least for 

 canoes, which certainly would be an unspeakable convenience to the inhabit- 

 ants of all that beautiful part of the country. The Indian killed a very fat 

 doe, and came across a bear, which had been put to death and was half devour- 

 ed by a panther. The last of these brutes reigns absolute monarch of the 

 woods, and in the keenness of his hunger will venture to attack a bear; 

 though then it is ever by surprise, as all beasts of the cat kind use to come 

 upon their prey. Their play is to take the poor bears napping, they being very 

 drowsy animals, and though they be exceedingly strong, yet their strength is 

 heavy, while the panthers arc too nimble and cunning to trust themselves 

 within their hug. As formidable as this beast is to his fellow brutes, he never 

 has the confidence to venture upon a man, but retires from him with great 

 respect, if there be a way open for his escape. However, it must be confest, 

 his voice is a little contemptible for a monarch of the forest, being not a great 

 deal louder nor more awful than the mewing of a household cat.* 



In South Carolina they call this beast a tiger, though improperly, and so 

 they do in some parts of the Spanish AVest Indies. Some of their authors, a 

 little more properly, compliment it with the name of a leopard. But none of 

 these are the growth of America, that we know of 



The whole distance the surveyors advanced the line this day amounted 

 to six miles and thirty poles, which was no small journey, considering the 

 grounds we had traver.sed were exceedingly rough and uneven, and in many 

 places intolerably entangled with bushes. All the hills we ascended were 

 encumbered with stones, many of which seemed to contain a metallic sub- 

 stance, and the valleys we crossed were interrupted with miry branches. 

 From the top of every hill we could discern distinctly, at a great distance 

 to the northward, three or four ledges of mountaais, rising one above 

 another; and on the highest of all rose a single mountain, very much resem- 

 bling a woman's breast. 



19th. About four miles beyond the river Irvin, we forded Matrimony creek, 

 called so by an unlT)rtunate married man, because it was exceedingly noisy 

 and impetuous. However, though the stream w^as clamorous, yet, like those 

 women who make themselves plainest heard, it was likewise perfectly clear 

 and unsullied. Still half a mile further we saw a small mountain, about 

 five miles to the north-west of us, which we called the Wart, because it ap- 

 peared no bigger than a wart, in comparison of the great mountains which 

 hid their haughty heads in the clouds. We were not able to extend the line 

 farther than five miles and one hundred and thirty five poles, notwithstanding 

 we began our march early in the morning, and did not encamp till it was almost 

 dark. We made it the later by endeavouring to quarter in some convenient 

 situation, either for grass or eanes. But night surprising us, we were obliged 

 to lodge at last upon high and uneven ground, which was so overgrown 

 with shrubs and saplings, that we could hardly see ten yards around us. The 

 most melancholy part of the story was, that our horses had short commons. 

 The poor creatures were now grown so weak that they staggered when we 

 mounted them. Nor would our own fare have been at all more plentiful, 

 had we not been so provident as to carry a load of meat along with us. 

 Indeed, the woods were too thick to show us any sort of game but one wild 

 turkey, which helped to enrich our soup. To make us amend?, we found 



* Some authors, who have given an account of the southern continent of America, 

 would make the world believe there are lions ; but in all likelihood they were mistaken, 

 imagining these panthers to be lions. What makes this probable is, that the northern 

 and southern parts of America being joined by the Isthmus of Darien, if there were 

 lions in either they would find their way into the other, the latitudes of each being 

 equally proper for that generous animal. 



