THE DIVIDING LINE. 
47 
bread, and so be forced to expose our backs in compliment to our bellies. We 
computed we had then biscuit enough left to last us, with good management, 
seven weeks longer ; and this being our chief dependence, it imported us to 
be very careful both in the carriage and the distribution of it. 
We had now no other drink but what Adam drank in Paradise, though to 
our comfort we found the water excellent, by the help of which we perceived 
our appetites to mend, oiir slumbers to sweeten, the stream of life to run cool 
and peaceably in our veins, and if ever we dreamed of wmmen, they were 
kind. Our men killed a very fat buck and several turkeys. These two kinds of 
meat boiled together, with the addition of a little rice or French barley, made 
excellent soup, and, what happens rarely in other good things, it never cloyed, 
no more than an engaging wife would do, by being a constant dish. Our In- 
dian was very superstitious in this matter, and told us, with a face fell of con- 
cern, that if we continued to boil venison and turkey together, we should for 
the future kill nothing, because the spirit that presided over the woods would 
drive all the game out of our sight. But we had the happiness to find this an 
idle superstition, and though his argument could not convince us, yet our repeat- 
ed experience at last, with much ado, convinced him. We observed abundance 
of colt’s foot and maiden-hair in many places, and no where a larger quantity 
than here. They are both excellent pectoral plants, and seem to have greater 
virtues much in this part of the world than in more northern climates; and I 
believe it may pass for a rule in botanies, that where any vegetable is planted 
by the hand of nature, it has more virtue than in places whereto it is trans- 
planted by the curiosity of man. 
8th. Notwithstanding we hurried away the surveyors very early, yet the 
underwoods embarrassed them so much that they could with difficulty ad- 
vance the line four miles and twenty poles. Our clothes suffered extremely 
by the bushes, and it was really as much as both our hands could do to pre- 
serve our eyes in our heads. Our poor horses, too, could hardly drag their 
loads through the saplings, which stood so close together that it was necessary 
for them to draw' and carry at the same time. We quartered near a spring 
of very fine water, as soft as oil and as cold as ice, to make us amends for the 
want of wine. And our Indian knocked down a very fat doe, just time 
enough to hinder us from going supperless to bed. Thes heavy baggage 
could not come up with us, because of the excessive badness of the ways. 
This gave us no small uneasiness, but it went worse with the poor rhen that 
guarded it. They had nothing in the world with them but dry bread, nor 
durst they eat any of that, for fear of inflaming their thirst, in a place where 
they could find no v/ater to quench it. This was, however, the better to be 
endured, because it was the first fast any one had kept during the whole jour- 
ney, and then, thanks to the gracious Guardian of the woods ! there was no 
more than a single meal lost to a few of the company. We were entertained 
this night with the yell of a whole family of wolves, in which we could dis- 
tinguish the treble, tenor and bass, very clearly. These beasts of prey kept 
pretty much upon our track, being tempted by the garbage of the creatures 
we killed every day ; for which we were serenaded with their shrill pipes almost 
every night. This beast is not so untameable as the panther, but the Indians 
know how to gentle their whelps, and use them about their cabins instead of 
dogs. 
9th. The thickets were hereabouts so impenetrable, that we were obliged, 
at first setting off this morning, to order four pioneers to clear the way be- 
fore the surveyors. But, after about two miles of these rough woods, we 
had the pleasure to meet with open grounds and not very uneven, by the 
help of which we were enabled to push the line about six miles. . The baggage 
that lay short of our camp last night came up about noon, and the men made 
