THE DIVIDING LINE. 
43 
we were content to take only the other, whose hunting name was Bear-skin. 
This Indian, either by his skill or good luck, supplied us plentifully all the 
way with meat, seldom discharging his piece in vain. By his assistance, 
therefore, we were able to keep our men to their business, without suffering 
them to straggle about the woods, on pretence of furnishing us with neces- 
sary food. 
SOth. It had rained all night, and made every thing so wet, that our survey- 
ors could not get to their work before noon. They could therefore measure no 
more than four miles and two hundred and twenty poles, which, according to the 
best information we could get, was near as high as the uppermost inhabitant 
at that time. We crossed the Indian trading path above-mentioned about a mile 
from our camp, and a mile beyond that forded Haw-tree creek. The woods 
we passed through had all the tokens of sterility, except a small poisoned 
field, on which grew no tree bigger than a slender sapling. The larger trees 
had been destroyed, either by fire or caterpillars, which is often the case in 
the upland woods, and the places where such desolation happens are called 
poisoned fields. We took up our quarters upon a branch of Great creek, 
where there was tolerable good grass for the poor horses. These poor ani- 
mals having now got beyond the latitude of corn, were obliged to shift as 
well as they could for themselves. 
On our way the men roused a bear, which being the first we had seen 
since we came out, the poor beast had many pursuers. Several persons con- 
tended for the credit of killing him : though he was so poor he was not 
W’orth the powder. This was some disappointment to our woodsmen, who 
commonly prefer the flesh of bears to every kind of venison. There is some- 
thing indeed peculiar to this animal, namely, that its fat is very firm, and may 
be eaten plentifully without rising in the stomach. » The paw (which, when 
stripped of the hair, looks like a human foot,) is accounted a delicious morsel 
by all wiio'are not shocked at the ungracious resemblance it bears to a 
human foot. 
October 1st. There was a white frost this morning on the ground, occa- 
sioned by a north-west wind, which stood our friend in dispersing all aguish 
damps, and making the air wholesome at the same time that it made it cold. 
Encouraged therefore by the weather, our surveyors got to work early, and 
by the benefit of clear woods, and level ground, drove the line twelve miles 
and twelve poles. 
At a small distance from our camp we crossed Great creek, and about 
Seven miles further Nut-bush creek, so called from the many hazel-trees grow- 
ing upon it. By good luck many branches of these creeks were full of reeds, 
to the great comfort of our horses. Near five miles from thence we encamp- 
ed on a branch that runs into Nut-bush creek, where. those reeds flourished 
more than ordinary. The land we marched over was for the most part 
broken and stony, and in some places covered over with thickets almost im- 
penetrable. At night the surveyors, taking advantage of a clear sky, made 
a third trial of the variation, and found it still something less than three de- 
grees, so that it did not diminish by advancing towards the west, or by 
approaching the mountains, nor yet by increasing our distance from the sea ; 
but remained much the same we had found it at Coratuck inlet. One of our 
Indians killed a large fawn, which was very welcome, though, like Hudibras* 
horse, it had hardly flesh enough to cover its bones. In the low grounds the 
Carolina gentlemen showed us another plant, which they said was used in 
their country to cure the bite of the rattle-snake. It put forth several leaves 
in figure like a heart, and was clouded so like the common Assa-rabacca, that 
I conceived it to be of that family. 
2d. So soon as the horses could be found, we hurried away the surveyors, 
