THE DIVIDING LINE. 
45 
miny, or Tuskarooda creek, because one of that nation had been killed there- 
abouts, and his body thrown into the creek. 
Our people had the fortune to kill a brace of does, one of which we pre- 
sented to the Carolina gentlemen, who were glad to partake of the bounty of 
Providence, at the same time that they sneered at us for depending upon it. 
4th. We hurried away the surveyors about nine this morning, who extend- 
ed the line seven miles and a hundred and sixty poles, notwithstanding the 
ground was exceedingly uneven. At the distance of five miles we forded a 
stream to which we gave the name of Bluewing creek, because of the great 
number of those fowls that then frequented it. About two and a half miles 
beyond that, we came upon Sugar-tree creek, so called from the many trees 
of that kind that grow upon it. By tapping this tree, in the fi^^st warm wea- 
ther in February, one may get from twenty to forty gallons of liquor, very 
sweet to the taste and agreeable to the stomach. This m.ay be boiled into 
molasses first, and afterwards into very good sugar, allowing about ten gal- 
lons of the liquor to make a pound. There is no doubt, too, that a very fine 
spirit may be distilled from the molasses, at least as good as rum. The sugar 
tree delights only in rich ground, where it grows very tall, and by the soft- 
ness and sponginess of the wood should be a quick grower. Near this creek 
we discovered likewise several spice trees, tlie leaves of which are fragrant, 
and the berries they bear are black when dry, and of a hot taste, not much 
unlike pepper. The low grounds upon the creek are ver)^ wide, sometimes 
on one side, sometimes on the other ; though most commonly upon the oppo- 
site shore the high land advances close to the bank, only on the north side of 
the line it spreads itself into a great breadth of rich low ground on both sides 
the creek for four miles together, as far as this stream runs into Hico river, 
whereof I shall presently make mention. One of our men spied three buffa- 
loes, but his piece being loaded only with goose-shot, he was able to make no 
effectual impression on their thick hides ; however, this disappointment was 
made up by a brace of bucks, and as many wild turkeys, killed by the rest 
of the company. Thus Providence was very bountiful to our endeavours, 
never disappointing those that faithfully rely upon it, and pray heartily for 
their daily bread. 
5th. This day we met with such uneven grounds, and thick underwoods, 
that with all our industry we were able to advance the line but four miles and 
three hundred and twelve poles. In this small distance it intersected a large 
stream four times, which our Indian at first mistook for the south branch of 
Roanoke river ; but, discovering his error soon after, he assured us it was a 
river called Hicootomony, or Turkey-buzzard river, from the great number 
of those unsavoury birds that roost on the tall trees growing near its banks. 
Early in the afternoon, to our very great surprise, the commissioners of 
Carolina acquainted us with their resolution to return home. This declara- 
tion of theirs seemed the more abrupt, because they had not been so kind as 
to prepare us, ’by the least hint, of their intention to desert us. We therefore 
let them understand they appeared to us to abandon the business they came 
about with too much precipitation, this being but the fifteenth day since we 
came out the last time. But, although we were to be so unhappy as to lose 
the assistance of their great abilities, yet we, who were concerned for Vir- 
ginia, determined, by the grace of God, not to do our work by halves, but, all 
deserted as we were like to be, should think it our duty to push the line quite 
to the mountains ; and if their government should refuse to be bound by so 
much of the line as was run without their commissioners, yet at least it 
would bind Virginia, and stand as a direction how far his majesty’s lands ex- 
tend to the southward. In short, these gentlemen were positive, and the most 
we could agree upon was to subscribe plots of our work as far as we had 
G 
