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388 [Assembly 



The Scuppernong creek is a small sluggish stream which runs in- 

 to the Albemarle sound on its south side, from a large Pocosin or 

 open swampy region and within a few miles of the Atlantic Ocean. 



In the Albemarle sound, opposite to this creek is a small island, 

 surrounded by tide water and formed from a sandy marine soil. On 

 this island are also grape vines which were in full growth and size, 

 when Sir Walter Raleigh first visited the country, then inhabited by 

 the native Indians. The vines on this island bear a white fruit, 

 round, very sweet and large size, and the vine has continued to bear 

 since it was first discovered. Indeed no one knows the age of this 

 vine. 



The vine has been run across the island indifferent directions, and 

 I was told when in the neighborhood, some years since, that the vines 

 leading from the original parent stock, had stretched across nine 

 acres of land from tree to tree. 



The Indian name of the creek was Scuppernong, and hence the name 

 of this variety of native grape. 



The Scuppernong grape in its native soil in North Carolina yields 

 large quantities of fruit and of a high sacharine quality. I was 

 told that one season near 27 barrels of wine were made from the orig- 

 j'nal grape vine on the island near Scuppernong creek. 



The wine made from this grape is highly esteemed in North Car- 

 olina; I drank some of it at the town of Charlotte in the southwest- 

 ern part of the state, full three hundred miles across the country from 

 where the grapes were grown It was of a delicious quality, though 

 imperfectly manufactured. 



The geological features of the soil where the Scuppernong vine 

 grows in North Carolina is the same as the soil at Sandy Hook, and 

 the belt of sea sand that has risen up along the south and eastern 

 sides of Long Island. The same formation exists on the Carolina 

 coast, including the Capes Hatteias, Lookout and Fear, and those of 

 Virginia. There are no less than five varieties of grapes found about 

 Albemarle sound, all of which are called Scuppernong grapes, to wit: 

 black, green, purple, red and white; but the white grape is the only 

 kind properly called Scuppernong grape. The other colors are na- 

 tive grapes of a different species. 



