bwanton] EARLY HISToKY OF THE CREEK INDIANS 63 
been sent to St. Helena from St. Augustine i<» recover the English 
castaways, Hilton gave up his attempt, and having explored the 
entrance to Port Royal and ranged the coast to the northward 
almost to Cape 1 1 at t eras he got back to Barbados on January 6, 
1664. In their general description of the land between Port Royal 
and Edisto River the explorers say: 
The Indian* plant in the worst Land because they cannot cut down the Timber in the 
best, and yethave plenty of Corn, Pompions, Water-Mellons, Musk-mellons: although 
the Land be over grown with weeds through their laeinesse, yet they have two or three 
crops of Corn a year, as the Indians themselves inform us. The Country abounds with 
Grapes, large Pigs, and Leaches: the Woods with Deer, Conies, Turkeys, Quails, 
Curlues, Plovers, Teile, Eerons; and as the Indians say, in Winter with Swans, Geese, 
Cranes. Duck and Mallard, and innumerable of other water-Fowls, whose names we 
know not. which lie in the Lovers, Marshes, and on the Sands: Oysters in abundance, 
witli greal store of Muscles: a sort of fair Crabs, and a round Sheblish called Horse-feet ; 
The Rivers stored plentifully with Fish that we saw play and leap. There are great 
Marshes, but most as far as we saw little worth, except for a Root that grows in them 
the Indians make good Bread of . . . The Natives are very healthful; we saw many 
very Aged amongst them. 1 
The next voyage that concerns us is entitled: "The Port Roy all 
Discovery. Being the Relation of a voyage on the Coast of the 
Province of Carolina formerly called Florida in the Continent of the 
Northerne America from Charles River neere Cape Feare in the County 
of Clarendon and the Lat: of 34: deg: to Port Royall in the North 
Lat: of 32 d. begun 14th June 1666. Performed by Robert Sand- 
ford Esqr Secretary and Cheife Register for the Right Hon ble the 
Lords Proprietors of their County of Clarendon in the Province 
aforesaid." 2 
On the date mentioned Sandford sailed with a vessel of "scarce 17 
tons" and a shallop "of some 3 tons." On the night of the 19th the 
larger vessel became separated from the shallop, and on the 22d the 
former sighted and entered what is now called North Edisto River. 
Sandford explored this for some distance and found many Indian 
cornfields and houses scattered among them, besides numerous 
heaps of oyster shells. From the Indians he learned that the chief 
town of the Edisto tribe was some distance inland, on what is now 
Edisto [sland, at a place which Langdpn Cheves, the editor of 
"The Shaftsbnry Papers," suggests was "probably near cross roads, 
by Eding's Spanish mount' place." Having gone beyond the 
nearest landing place for this village he stopped there on his return 
to accommodate the Indians who were desirous to trade with him. 
When we were here [he says] a Cap 1 of the Nation named Shadoo (one of them w r| ' 
Hilton had carryed to Barbados) was very earnest with some of our Company to goe 
witli him and lye a night att their Towne w ch bee told us was but a smale distance 
thence I being equally desirous to knowe the forme manner and populousnesse of the 
place asalsoe what state the Casique held (fame in all theire things preferring this place 
IS. Car. Hist. 8oc. Culls., v. p. 24. -Ibid., pp. 
