SwANTON] INDIANS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 311 



of rendezvous is agreed on, they then consult what direction it lies in, every 

 one pointing his finger towards the place; though but little variation appears 

 in their pointings, the preference of judgment is given to the eldest ; thus it being 

 concluded on, they set out all singly, and different ways, except the women, 

 who jog on a constant pace, while the men traverse a vast tract of land in 

 hunting on each side, and meet together in small parties at night. Thus they 

 proceed onward their journey, and though they range some hundred miles from 

 one another, they all meet at the place appointed. And if an obstruction hap- 

 pens, they leave certain marks in the way, where they that come after will 

 understand how many have passed and which way they are gone. They are 

 never lost, though at the greatest distance from home ; and where they never 

 were before, they will find their way back by a contrary way from that they 

 went. 



An Indian boy that was brought up very young to school at Williams'burgh, 

 at the age of 9 or 10 years, ran from school, found means (no body knew how) 

 to pass over James river, and then travelled through the woods to his native 

 home, though the nearest distance was three hundred miles, carrying no pro- 

 vision with him, nor having any thing to subsist on in his journey but berries, 

 acorns, and such like as the wood afforded. 



They know the north point whereever they are; one guide is by a certain 

 moss that grows most on the north side of trees. 



Their sagacity in tracing the footsteps of one another is no less wonderful: 

 on a dry surface, where none but themselves are able to discern the least im- 

 pression of any thing, they often make discoveries; but on moist land that is 

 capable of impression, they will give a near guess, not only of the number of 

 Indians that have passed, but by the make and stitching of their Mockasins, 

 will know of what nation they are, and consequently whether friends or enemies. 

 This is a piece of knowledge on which great consequences depend; therefore, 

 they who excel in it are highly esteemed, because these discoveries enable them 

 to ambuscade their enemies, as well as to evade surprises from them; and also 

 to escape from a superior number by a timely discovery of their numerous tracks. 

 (Cateby, 1731-43, vol. 2, pp. xii-xiii.) 



Says Byrd : 



The Indians, who have no way of travelling but on the Hoof, make nothing 

 of going 25 miles a day, and carrying their little Necessaries at their backs, and 

 Sometimes a Stout Pack of Skins into the Bargain. And very often they laugh 

 at the English, who can't Stir to Next Neighbour without a Horse, and say that 

 2 Legs are too much for such lazy people, who cannot visit their next neigh- 

 bour without six. (Bassett, 1901, p. 266.) 



Lawson on the same subject: 



They are expert travelers, and though they have not the use of our artificial 

 compass, yet they understand the north-point exactly, let them be in never so 

 great a wilderness. One guide is a short moss, that grows upon some trees, 

 exactly on the north-side thereof. 



Besides, they have names for eight of the thirty-two points, and call the 

 winds by their several names, as we do ; but indeed more properly ; for the 

 north-west wind is called the cold wind; the north-east, the wet wind; the 

 south, the warm wind, and so agreeable of the rest. Sometimes it happens 

 that they have a large river or lake to pass over, and the weather is very 

 foggy, as it often happens in the spring and fall of the leaf; so that they can- 

 not see which course to steer; in such a case, they being on one side of the 

 river or lake, they know well enough what course such a place, (which 



